$ & * • * < + 




J 



> FAMILIAR LETTERS 



GENTLEMAN, 



UPON A VARIETY OF 



SEASONABLE AND IMPORTANT SUBJECTS 



IN RELIGION 



BY 

JONATHAN DICKINSON, A. M. 

/i 

LATE -MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL AT ELIZABETHTOW.N, N. J. 



PHILADELPHIA: 
PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION, 

JAMES RI.S3ELL, PUBLISHING AGENT. 

1841. 



/»4/ 



. Hennen Jennings 
April 26, 1933 



Printed by 

WILLIAM S. MART1EN. 



10 

(0 



CONTENTS. 

Preface, 5 

LETTER I.— The Danger of Infidelity briefly represented - 9 

LETTER II. — A brief and general view of the Evidences of Chris- 
tianity, 16 

LETTER III.— A Historical Account of the Birth, Life, Passion, 
Resurrection, Ascension, and Future Kingdom of our Blessed Sa- 
viour, collected from the Prophecies of the Old Testament, - 29 

LETTER IV.— The certainty of those facts, upon which the Evi- 
dences of Christianity depend, 43 

LETTER V. — Some of the Internal Evidences of Christianity con- 
sidered, 53 

LETTER VI.— Some Objections against the Internal Evidences of 
Christianity considered and answered, - - - 67 

LETTER VII— The Doctrine of God's Sovereign Grace Vindicated ; 
and some Exceptions against it considered and answered, - 78 

LETTER VIII.— The Difference between a True Saving Faith, 
and a Dead Temporary Faith, distinctly considered, - 91 

LETTER IX.— The Difference between a Legal and Evangelical 
Repentance distinctly considered, 108 

LETTER X.— The Seventh Chapter to the Romans contains the 
Description and Character of a Converted State, - - 130 

LETTER XL— The doctrine of a Sinner's Justification, by the Im- 
puted Righteousness of Christ, explained and vindicated, 151 

LETTER XII.— Whether we are Justified by Faith and Obedience 
to the Gospel, as a New Law of Grace, .... 174 



4 CONTENTS. 

LETTER XIII.— The notion of a First Justification by Faith, and a 
Secondary Justification by Sincere Obedience, discussed and con- 
futed, 201 

LETTER XIV.— The Apostle James's Doctrine of Justification by 
Works, in his Second Chapter, distinctly reviewed, and set in its 
genuine light, by a comparison with the Apostle Paul's doctrine 
of Justification by Faith, 202 

LETTER XV. — Wherein is considered in what respects Good 
Works are Necessary ; and our Obligations to them represented 
and urged, 242 

LETTER XVL— The Nature of the Believer's Union to Christ 
briefly explained and the Necessity of it asserted and de- 
fended, 265 

LETTER XVII — Antinomian Abuses of the doctrine of Believers' 
Union to Christ, or Pleas from it for Licentiousness and Security in 
sinning, considered and obviated, ..... 286 

LETTER XVIII.— Particular advice and direction for a Close and 
Comfortable Walk with God, 309 



PREFACE 



The irregular heats and extravagancies of some 
late pretenders to extraordinary attainments in 
religion, their imaginary divine impulses, and 
ecstatic raptures, with other effects of their dis- 
ordered fancies, have cast such a blemish up- 
on the Christian profession, in the eyes of un- 
settled and unthinking people, that it is well if 
too many are not in danger of calling Christianity 
itself into question, from the manifestly false pre- 
tences and enthusiastic flights of some, who have 
put in a claim to so eminent an experience in the 
divine life. It is therefore thought needful, as 
well as seasonable at this time, that a brief and 
plain confirmation of the Christian religion be 
sent abroad among our people, to establish them 
in the foundation of our eternal hope. This has 
been my special motive to the publication of some 
of the first of the ensuing Letters. 

On the other hand, whether for want of duly 
distinguishing between delusive appearances and 
the genuine effects of an effusion of the Holy 
Spirit, or from whatever cause, such has been 
the violent opposition of some to the late revival 



PREFACE. 



of religion in the land, that the doctrine of spe- 
cial grace and of experimental piety seem now 
by too many not only rejected and opposed, but 
even treated with contempt; as if they had 
never before been heard of, or professed among 
us. This I take to be one of the darkest symp- 
toms upon this land, that we have ever yet seen. 
It must on that account be not unseasonable, to 
represent to our people, in a clear and distinct 
view, the experiences of vital religion, which 
are necessary to constitute them Christians in- 
deed. This is aimed at in the publication of the 
most of the following Letters. 

The danger we are in of prevailing Antino- 
mianism, and the actual prevalence that it has 
already obtained in some parts of the country, is 
a sufficient justification of the attempt I have 
made to set the foundation error of the Antino- 
mians in a true light, and to discover its danger- 
ous tendency. 

If any are inclined to censure me for troubling 
the world with new discourses upon such sub- 
jects, as I had publicly treated on before ; parti- 
cularly the evidences of Christianity, the sove- 
reignty of divine grace, faith, and justification ; 
they may consider that these are most impor- 
tant points, and deserve the most particular 
illustration; that there is at this time a special 
call to remove the objections against them out of 
the way ; and that this is now attempted in a 



PREFACE. 



different manner from my former discourses on 
these subjects, and, I trust, with some additional 
evidence to the truth. 

If any of my readers are so curious to inquire 
to whom these letters were directed, it is suffi- 
cient answer, that they are now by the press di- 
rected to them; and if they can improve them 
to their spiritual advantage, it will answer the 
end of their publication. May the blessing of 
God attend them to this purpose. 

J. DICKINSON. 



FAMILIAR LETTERS, 



LETTER I. 



THE DANGER OF INFIDELITY BRIEFLY REPRESENTED. 

Sir — I heartily rejoice to hear from you, that you 
are at last come into a "resolution, immediately to 
enter upon a serious and impartial examination of the 
Christian religion." What you observe is certainly 
true, that " this is an affair of too great consequence, 
to be carelessly neglected, to be decided at the club, 
or to be rejected by wholesale, with the too common 
arguments of mirth and raillery, sneer and banter." 
I should therefore be inexcusable, should I refuse a 
compliance with your request, to "maintain a corres- 
pondence with you by letter; and assist you what I 
can, in your inquiries into the truth of Christianity, 
the nature of the Christian institution, and the charac- 
ter and qualifications of those who are entitled to the 
rewards therein promised." But what can a gentle- 
man of your capacities expect from me? And has not 
this cause been clearly and fully handled, especially 
of late, by a variety of authors ? Has it not triumphed 
over all opposition? Have not its poor deluded op- 
posers been covered with shame and confusion, in all 
their feeble attempts to subvert our faith, and to de- 
stroy the blessed hope of our future happiness? And 
are not these books in your hands? — Read them, Sir, 
with that attention which such an awful and import- 
ant affair demands of you; and I think you cannot 
fail of obtaining conviction and satisfaction. 

2 



10 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

To your inquiry, "How shall I first enter upon a 
proper disquisition of this cause ?" I answer in a few 
words. Consider the importance of it : Consider, I 
entreat you, that it is an eternal concern. Were this 
duly considered, it would be impossible for you to 
content yourself in such a state, wherein there is so 
much as a peradventure as to the dreadful and aston- 
ishing consequences of a disappointment. 

You may perhaps have hitherto concluded all re- 
vealed religion to be but a mere cheat and imposture. 
You may have borne your part in the conversation at 
taverns or coffee houses against priestcraft, cant, and 
enthusiasm. You may have ridiculed ail pretences 
to vital piety; and exploded all the gospel doctrines 
respecting future rewards and punishments, as un- 
reasonable, or unintelligible dreams and fictions. — 
Well! supposing you were in the right, what happi- 
ness, what comfort or satisfaction would your infi- 
delity afford you ? What rational man would envy 
you the consolation, of imagining yourself upon a 
level with the beasts, and of expecting that death will 
terminate all your hopes and fears ? — What believer 
would part with the glorious hope of eternal and in- 
expressible happiness and joy, for the gloomy pros- 
pect of annihilation! 

It is certain upon this supposition, the believer can 
be in no danger; he has nothing to lose, or to fear; 
but has every way the advantage of you. He has the 
present satisfaction of being a favourite of heaven. 
He has a continual source of support and comfort, 
amidst the darkest scenes of providence, from the gra- 
cious promises of the gospel; He can overcome the 
miseries of life and the terrors of death, with the ra- 
vishing view of a blessed immortality. And it is cer- 
tain, if mistaken, he will never lament his disappoint- 
ment: but sleep as quietly in a state of non-existence 
as you can do. 

But perhaps I have mistaken your sentiments. You 
may possibly have given into an i pinion of a future 
existence, though you have called the truth of the 
gospel into question: — Be it so. Yet upon this sup- 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



11 



position also, the believer has vastly the advantage of 
you. He has all the happiness in this life which 
Christianity affords : and this you must be a stranger 
to. He can live in comfort, and die in peace. His 
religion deprives him of nothing which can any way 
contribute to his rational happiness and delight; but 
every way tends to subserve and promote them. And 
certainly (even upon your own principles) he may 
have as fair a claim to sincerity, in his endeavours to 
approve himself to the glorious Author of our being, 
as you can have; and consequently as good a pros- 
pect of future blessedness. So that, upon the whole, 
it is evident that he has nothing to fear from his prin- 
ciples, whether they be true or false. He has no 
cause for those stinging reflections : What if I am 
mistaken! What if my sentiments should prove false, 
when it comes to the decisive trial! 

And now let us turn the tables, and consider the 
bitter fruits of your fatal mistake, if Christianity 
should at last prove true. You cannot but acknow- 
ledge, that there have been great numbers of men of 
the best moral qualifications, whose intellectual pow- 
ers were no ways inferior to theirs on the other side 
of the question, who have professed the truth and ex- 
perienced the power of that religion which you have 
despised. How many most excellent persons of the 
greatest integrity, learning, and sagacity, have at 
their peril appeared to stand by this cause; and have 
sacrificed their estates, their honours, and their lives, 
to the despised and persecuted doctrines of the cross! 
It is certain that you cannot have a greater assurance 
of being in the right than these men have had; and 
consequently there is at least a probability on their 
side, as much as on yours. You yourself, therefore, 
and all the unbelieving gentlemen of your acquaint- 
ance, who have any degree of modesty left, must ne- 
cessarily own, that the cause possibly may turn out 
against them. And what if it should? I am even 
afraid to represent the consequences in a proper light; 
it will probably be esteemed preachment or cant; or 
be voted harsh, uncivil, or unmannerly treatment. 



12 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



But, Sir, I would pray you to consider this matter, 
without any resentment of my rustic method of ad- 
dress. Consider it only as it is represented in the 
Scriptures; and in that view it will appear, that the 
dreadful confusion, the amazing horror, and the eter- 
nal misery, which will be the consequence of your in- 
fidelity, will be vastly beyond the utmost stretch of 
your most exalted apprehension or imagination. As 
soon as your soul is separated from your body, it 
will become the immediate object of the divine 
wrath ; and how lightly soever you may think of 
these things at present, you will find, that is a fearful 
thing to fall into the hands of the living God. When 
the great Judge of the world shall descend from hea- 
ven, to take vengeance on all those who do not obey 
the gospel of Jesus Christ, where will our unbelieving 
gentlemen appear? Will not their mirth be quite 
spoiled, their sarcastic flouts and fleers be for ever 
over, when they must stand trembling at the left hand 
of their judge, having no possible refuge to betake 
themselves to, no plea to make for their infidelity, no 
place of retreat in a dissolving world to hide their 
heads! What comfort will it then afford them, to 
say, "Alas! how have we been deceived! We never 
thought it would have come to this ! Now we have 
found to our cost, that there is something more in the 
doctrines of a final retribution than fable or fiction, 
priestcraft or fanaticism, however we have, in the 
gaiety of our temper rejected and despised them." 
Will they then be possessed of a sufficient bravery 
and presence of mind, to out-face their glorious Judge; 
and to hear with intrepidity the terrible sentence, De- 
part, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the 
devil and his angels! Will they with their usual frolic 
humour, endure the execution of this sentence, and 
with sport and pastime, welter in the eternal flames 
of that furnace of fire, that is the destined abode of 
every final unbeliever? 

Now, Sir, does it not infinitely concern you, to con- 
sider the case before you in this awful view, to com- 
pare and make a proper estimate of the inconceivably 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 13 

different states of the believer and the infidel, both 
with respect to time and eternity; and to enter upon 
the disquisition you propose, with a mind duly im- 
pressed with the vast importance of your coming to a 
safe conclusion ? 

You tell me, that you " cannot, from the nature of 
things, see any necessity of such a way of salvation, 
as the gospel proposes. The light of nature teaches 
us, that God is merciful ; and consequently that he 
will pardon sinners, upon their repentance and amend- 
ment of life." Let us then consider this case im- 
partially. 

I think there is no need of arguments to convince 
you that you are a sinner. Do but consider the natu- 
ral tendency of your affections, appetites, and pas- 
sions; and review the past conduct of your life; and 
a demonstration of this sad truth will unavoidably 
stare you in the face. Let any man enter into him- 
self, and seriously consider the natural operations of 
his own mind, and he must necessarily find, that in- 
stead of a frequent and delightful contemplation of 
the perfections of the Divine nature, instead of a 
thankful acknowledgment of his obligations to the 
divine goodness and beneficence, and instead of that 
sublime pleasure and satisfaction, that should flow 
from the remembrance of his Creator and Benefactor, 
his affections are naturally following mean, low and 
unreasonable, if not vile and wicked, entertainments 
and gratifications. He will find, that all communica- 
tions with his glorious Creator are naturally painful 
and uneasy to him: while every trifling amusement, 
and the vilest sensual object of his thoughts, find a 
more easy entrance, and a more peaceable rest in his 
soul. From hence it is most evident, that the heart 
is revolted from God, and that Ave have substituted 
the creature in his stead, as the object of our pursuit 
and delight. And besides this, who are there among 
the best of the children of men, whose consciences 
will not charge them with innumerable actual trans- 
gressions of the law of nature ? From this view of the 



14 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

case, you must therefore certainly find yourself in a 
state of moral pollution and guilt. 

And can you in such a state as this, reflect upon a 
God of infinite purity and justice with comfort and 
courage? Will not conscience fly in your face, and 
upbraid you with your guilt and danger? Does not 
your reason tell you, that the great Creator and Gov- 
ernor of the world is too holy to approve, and too just 
to overlook such a fixed aversion to him, and such 
numerous sins and provocations against him as you 
cannot but charge to your own account ? 

But " God is merciful." True, he is so, to all pro- 
per objects of mercy, and in a way agreeable to the 
laws of his immutable justice and holiness. But can 
you suppose, that God will give up his justice and 
holiness, as a sacrifice to his mercy, out of compas- 
sion to those who deserve no pity from him, to those 
who refuse the offers of his mercy in the gospel, be- 
cause disagreeable to their sinful desires and imagi- 
nations? 

But " Repentance will entitle the sinner to pardon, 
without any other atonement." Are you sure of 
this ? Certain it is, that mankind have always, in all 
ages, thought otherwise. What else was the mean- 
ing of those sacrifices, that have every where obtain- 
ed, and what the meaning of those superstitious aus- 
terities, and severe penances, that have been so com- 
monly practised in the heathen world, if some atone- 
ment beside repentance was not thought necessary to 
pacify an offended deity? Consider, I entreat you, that 
as sin is contrary to the divine nature, it must be the 
object of God's displeasure. As it is contrary to the 
rules of his governing the world, it must deserve pun- 
ishing. If God be the rector and governor of the 
world, he must have some laws to govern by. If he 
has laws to govern by, they must have some penal- 
ties to enforce them; these must be executed, or else 
they would be but scare-crows, without truth or jus- 
tice. I entreat you also to consider, how the repent- 
ance of a guilty criminal can answer the demands of 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



15 



justice. What satisfaction will our sorrow for sin 
afford to the Divine Being? How will it repair the 
dishonour done to the perfections of his nature ? How 
will it rectify our depraved appetites and passions, 
and qualify us for the enjoyment of his favour? How 
will it vindicate his holiness, and discover to the ra- 
tional world, his natural aversion to sin and sinners ? 
Or how will the fear of God's displeasure be a suffi- 
cient restraint to men's lusts and vicious appetites, if 
sinners may suppose, that when they have gratified 
their lusts and taken their swing in sin, they can re- 
pent when they please, and thereby have an access 
to the favour of God ? In a word, what evidence can 
you possibly pretend to from the light of nature, that 
repentance only will satisfy the divine justice, and re- 
concile you to God? 

But, after all, were it even supposed that repent- 
ance would necessarily give us a claim to mercy, 
without any other satisfaction to God's justice, it must 
then be another sort of repentance, than you seem to 
suppose. You must then allow that this repentance 
must be a thorough change of heart and life. For 
you can hardly suppose that we are qualified for 
God's favour, while all the powers of our souls are in 
direct opposition and aversion to him. And is this 
repentance in our power? Can we at pleasure renew 
our own souls, and give ourselves new affections, dis- 
positions, desires, and delights? Can we change the 
bent and bias of our inclinations to the objects of 
sense, and bring ourselves to love God above all 
things, and to take our chief delight and complacency 
in him! This must be obtained in order to enjoy the 
favour of God. And yet it is manifestly out of our 
reach. It must be the effect of an almighty power. 

I hope you may now see the necessity of a Saviour, 
both to expiate your sin and guilt, which your re- 
pentance can never do, and to sanctify your depraved 
soul, and make you meet for the service and enjoy- 
ment of God. If these are obtained, you must be 
certainly and eternally safe; but if you dare venture 



16 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

into eternity without them, I must needs say you do 
not want courage. 

You see, I have addressed you with unreserved 
freedom and familiarity. I have overlooked the dis- 
tance of your character; and treated you as if we 
were in the same state of equality now as we shall 
quickly find ourselves before the tribunal of our glo- 
rious Judge. The cause requires this at my hands; 
and I should have been unfaithful, I had almost said 
unmerciful, to you, if I had not failed of the decorum 
which would have been my duty to have observed in 
any other case. I shall therefore depend upon your 
candid interpretation of this unpolished address, and 
your kind acceptance of the faithful designs and de- 
sires of, 

Sir, your most obedient 

humble servant. 



LETTER II. 

A BRIEF AND GENERAL VIEW OF THE EVIDENCES OF CHRIS- 
TIANITY. 

Sir — You tell me, " My letter had almost thrown 
you into a fit of the spleen." But I cannot but hope, 
from your "awful concern lest you meet with the 
confusion I have therein described," that it will have 
a better effect. I acknowledge, that "a pathetic de- 
clamation cannot be received for argument." And 
that "your faith must be built upon evidences, that 
will reach the understanding, as well as the softer 
passions of the soul." But what evidence do you de- 
sire or want of the truth of Christianity? Consider, 
Sir. Consult your books and your friends. Make 
your demands as large as you or they can contrive. 
And whatever rational evidence you are pleased to ask 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



17 



for, shall be at your service. I have myself, with parti- 
cular application, been considering, what reasonable 
evidence can possibly be consulted or desired, which 
the glorious God has not already given us in confir- 
mation of the Christian institution, and I find nothing 
wanting, which we are capable of receiving. And I 
cannot but presume, that if you likewise would im- 
partially and earnestly put yourself upon the same in- 
quiry, you must meet with a full and complete satis- 
faction. 

You will certainly acknowledge, that the great 
Creator is capable some way or other to communicate 
his will to intelligent beings, with sufficient evidence 
that the revelation is from him. Now, what I desire of 
you is to sit down, and consult upon some such means 
of doing this, as would strike your mind with the 
strongest conviction, obviate all your doubts, and give 
you the fullest confirmation of the divine original of 
such a revelatiron. When you are come to a point, 
consider the credentials of Christianity, and see whe- 
ther you can find what you yourself would demand, 
and what you suppose most likely to give you satis- 
faction. 

Would you expect from such a revelation a reason- 
able account of our first original? Look into the Mo- 
saic history of the creation, and there you will find 
how the world, and how yourself originally sprung 
from the divine Fiat, and in what manner we are 
the offspring of God. 

Would you expect a narrative of such circum- 
stances of God's dispensations towards us from the 
beginning as would be correspondent with our con- 
stant experience and observation? The same history 
will inform you of those irregular affections and vi- 
tiated appetites and passions, which every man finds 
in himself, and which have brought such destruction 
and misery upon the world, in all its successive peri- 
ods, since Adam's fall. 

Would you expect that there should be early inti- 
mations of the method of our recovery from the state 
of sin and guilt, into which we had brought ourselves 



18 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



by our apostasy? You will there also find the gra- 
cious promise, that the seed of the woman shall bruise 
the serpent's head, and deliver us from the deadly 
effects of his malicious temptation. 

Would you desire to find a particular prediction of 
the promised Saviour, by whom we are to obtain 
redemption, his lineage and descent, the time, place, 
and manner of his birth, the circumstances of his life, 
death and resurrection, a particular description of the 
nature, the subjects, and the continual progress of his 
kingdom? Read the prophecies of the Old Testament, 
and read the history of the New, and you will find 
such a correspondence and agreement as will afford 
you matter of fullest satisfaction, that they are both 
from God. 

Would you expect that there should be some 
means to keep the promised Saviour in the continued 
view of God's people, before his actual and personal 
manifestation, and to keep alive their faith and hope 
in him? What were all their sacrifices, their legal pu- 
rifications, their priesthood, and all their long train of 
rites and ceremonies, but institutions purposely adapt- 
ed to that end? 

Would you expect repeated and renewed testimo- 
nies from heaven, to the professing people of God, 
that their religion was from him, and that their faith 
and hope, excited by these typical institutions, were 
built upon a sure foundation? Such, were the mira- 
cles frequently wrought among them, the manifesta- 
tion of the divine presence in the Shekinah, their 
Urim and Thummim, their frequent oracles, their suc- 
cession of prophets, whose predictions respecting the 
Jews themselves, and the nations round about them, 
were continually fulfilled and fulfilling before their 
eyes; and the accomplishment of many of them are 
apparently open and visible to us also. 

Would you suppose, that near the predicted time of 
the Saviour's appearance, not only the Jewish nation, 
but all others that were acquainted with their sacred 
books, would live in raised expectation of this great 
and wonderful event? You will find in the Gospels, 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



19 



in Josephus,* Tacitus,! and Snetonius,J that this was 
the case in fact. 

Would you expect that when the Saviour did ap- 
pear, he would by the holiness and beneficence of his 
life, and by numerous open and uncontested miracles, 
give such attestation to his divine mission, as would 
be sufficient evidence that he was indeed the Messiah 
so frequently predicted, and so earnestly expected? 
Does not the sacred historians answer your highest ex- 
pectations in this respect? In them you find, that the 
dead were raised, the sick healed, the maim restored 
to the use of their limbs, the sight of the blind reco- 
vered, the deaf brought to their hearing, the lepers 
cleansed, the demons ejected; and, in a word, that 
the whole time of his ministry was a continued suc- 
cession of the most beneficent and astonishing mira- 
cles; miracles as surprising in their nature, as their 
number, such as vastly exceeded the power of all 
created beings, and were therefore the strongest tes- 
timony from heaven, that this Saviour most certainly 
was, what he himself professed to be. 

Would you expect that this Saviour should verify 
his divine mission to future times, by prophecies of 
succeeding events? Do not the evangelists afTord you 
many instances of such predictions, which have been 
clearly and fully accomplished? In these historians 
you will find how he foretold the treason of Judas, 
the shameful fall of Peter, with the flight of all his 
disciples, in that gloomy, dreadful night, when the 
Shepherd was smitten, and the Sheep scattered. In 
these you will find, how he foretold the time and 
manner of his own death, the term of his continuance 
in the grave, with his glorious resurrection and ascen- 
sion. You will there also find him foretelling the 
mission,, divine inspiration, miraculous powers, and 
glorious success of his apostles, and their fellow-la- 
bourers in the gospel ministry. These historians do 
likewise set before you his particular prediction of the 

* De Bell. Jud. Lib. vii. Cap. 31. 

+ Hist. Cap. 13. t In Vespas. Cap. 4. 



20 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



destruction of Jerusalem, and the abolition of the 
temple, with the prodigies which preceded, the tribu- 
lation which accompanied, and the dispersion of the 
Jewish nation which followed that amazing desola- 
tion. And does it not surprise you to find from Jo- 
sephus, that the 24th chapter of Matthew, and the 
21st chapter of Luke, are more like a history than a 
prophecy of that dreadful event? — If you should 
yet further expect some predictions from him, that 
extend to the present time, and are now visibly ac- 
complished before your eyes, has he not foretold, 
and do you not find it true, that Jerusalem shall con- 
tinue to be trodden down of the Gentiles until the 
time of the Gentiles be fulfilled? 

Would you expect, that when this Messiah, accord- 
ing to the prophecies concerning him, was cut off, he 
should declare himself the Son of God, with power 
by his resurrection from the dead? And has it not 
appeared true, that no precaution by sealing his tomb 
and setting a guard over it, could prevent his triumph 
over the grave, and his appearing to great numbers 
of his disciples, and frequently and familiarly con- 
versing with some of them, for forty days together; 
and finally ascending up to heaven before their eyes. 

Would you expect that his disciples, who were eye 
and ear witnesses of his life, death, resurrection, and 
ascension, and could not possibly be deceived in facts 
so open to all their senses, should at their peril preach 
tliis Saviour to the world, and continually undergo a 
life of painful travail and fatigue, poverty and re- 
proach, opposition and persecution, to propagate his 
gospel; and that they would finally sacrifice their 
lives in the cause, and seal their doctrine with their 
blood? This they have done, and it is impossible that 
more could be done to raise their truth and sincerity 
above all suspicion. 

Would you expect, that these disciples should be 
extraordinarily and peculiarly qualified for their great 
work, and sent forth to the nations with sufficient 
credentials to confirm their testimony and make their 
doctrines credible? What greater furniture can you 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 21 

possibly suppose needful in such a case, than for a 
number of unlearned men and women to be instan- 
taneously endued with an intimate and familiar ac- 
quaintance with all sorts of languages, and (not as pre- 
tended by some Energumens and the modern French 
prophets, have their organs of speech improved by 
the Devil, in pronouncing languages which they did 
not understand, but) capable constantly and familiar- 
ly to converse with every nation in their own proper 
speech, and with greatest propriety to write and trans- 
mit to posterity the history and religion of their Lord 
and master in a foreign language which they had never 
learned. Can you, sir, possibly imagine a greater and 
brighter display of the immediate agency and omnipo- 
tent power of the glorious author of our being, than 
thus at once to enlarge the mind, and furnish it with 
such an amazing extent of knowledge, while God 
himself has borne them witness, with signs and won- 
ders, and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy 
Ghost, according to his own will? 

Suppose you should see some unlearned rustics 
with whom you are acquainted, pretending to a new 
revelation, and confirming their pretences by speak- 
ing familiarly all the languages of Europe, by healing 
the sick and decrepid with a word, raising the dead 
to life, and striking men dead by a word, reveal- 
ing the secrets of other men's hearts, communicating 
these and such like powers to others by the imposi- 
tion of their hands, and declaring to you that it 
was not by their own power or holiness that they per- 
formed these works; should you find the strictest 
holiness and conformity to the divine nature joined 
with these miraculous powers, would you not believe 
the truth of their pretensions? Would you not ac- 
knowledge that God was in them of a truth? 

Would you expect that those men, who were sent 
out to preach and propagate a new religion in the 
world, should themselves be inspired with a prophetic 
spirit, and capable to foretell future events? And is 
not this also visibly a fact in the case before us ? Have 
they not distinctly foretold the state and fate of the 



22 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



church in all its periods until the consummation of all 
things? Do not we ourselves see their predictions ex- 
actly and circumstantially verified with respect to the 
rise, reign, and rage of anti-christ, and with respect to 
the Jews still continuing a distinct people and remain- 
ing in their unbelief, until God shall again graft them 
into the olive tree from whence they have been cut 
off? 

Would you expect that the Messiah should prosper 
and succeed those disciples whom he should send out 
to propagate the gospel among the nations, by the 
conversion of multitudes to the faith; and do we not 
find, in fact, that he has assisted a few mean unlearn- 
ed fishermen, without riches or power, art or elo- 
quence, to triumph over all the prejudices in men's 
minds against the doctrines of the cross, over all the 
bitter opposition of the rulers of the world, all the 
riveted prepossessions among both Jews and Gentiles 
to their ancient religion, and all the learning of 
Greece and Rome, and to bring so great a part of the 
world into a professed subjection to the cross of 
Christ! 

Would you expect that the religion of such a Sa- 
viour should be every way worthy of God, agreeable 
to all his glorious perfections, and every way suitable 
for man, perfective of his nature, and adapted to his 
welfare m every station, relation, and capacity that 
he sustains in this world, as well as to his eternal in- 
terest in the world to come? All this (I think) is what 
Deists themselves are forced to allow. 

Would you expect some apparent influence of this 
religion upon the hearts and lives of those who sin- 
cerely profess it, and who commit their souls and 
eternal interests into the hands of this Saviour? And 
do not you yourself see this continually exemplified? 
Does not every body see, that they who cordially re- 
ceive the Lord Jesus Christ for their Prince and Sa- 
viour, are distinguished from the rest of the world by 
the exercise of love both to God and man? Is not the 
change wrought in the hearts and lives of such, visi- 
ble to every observer, in the blessed fruits of holiness, 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



23 



righteousness, charity, and beneficence? This change 
they themselves profess to have experienced by their 
exercise of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This ex- 
perience they justify to the world by the steady con- 
duct of their lives; and thus the great Redeemer ap- 
proves himself indeed the great physician of souls by 
recovering all from their spiritual maladies who ap- 
ply to him and depend upon him for a cure. 

Would you expect a consistent and harmonious 
scheme of religion through all the parts of divine reve- 
lation? And is it not wonderful to observe, how the 
New Testament every way answers the design of the 
Old, and how all the numerous writers of these sacred 
books, notwithstanding their very different manner of 
writing, the very distant ages in which they wrote, 
and the very different circumstances of the church in 
their respective times of writing, have yet all taught 
the same doctrines, all described the same dangers, 
and all pointed out the same way to eternal salva- 
tion ? 

Thus, Sir, I have set before you, in the closest and 
most connected view, some brief hints of the creden- 
tials of Christianity. I know you are capable of ex- 
tending your demands yet further, and of proposing 
something else that may still serve to reflect new light 
upon the Christian revelation : and there is yet much 
more at your service when you will be pleased to 
make your demands. You must, however, in the 
mean time, allow me the freedom to say, that the evi- 
dence now in view is sufficient to fill the mind of 
every unprejudiced person with a necessary and in- 
fallible certainty of the truth we are inquiring after. 
Deliberately consider each of these arguments sepa- 
rately and particularly; consider them all in their con- 
nection ,and relation to each other, and then try whe- 
ther you can refuse your assent to the gospel of 
Christ. 

There is, I am sensible, one objection ready to offer 
itself to your mind against all this; and that is, How 
do I know, that the great and principal facts upon 
which Christianity is especially built, may be depend- 



24 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



ed upon as certainly true? How do I know the con- 
gruity of the prophecies with the event? How do I 
know the miraculous conception of the Lord Jesus 
Christ, the attestation of the angels to his birth, or 
that he wrought such miracles in confirmation of his 
divine mission, and that he rose again from the dead 
and ascended up to heaven? How do I know that his 
apostles were inspired with such extraordinary and 
divine gifts, or that they performed such miraculous 
operations? 

To this I answer, that some of the evidences which 
I have offered, are what directly, upon the very first 
view, you may know, and cannot but know, to be 
certainly and infallibly true, if you will open your 
eyes to observe them. You do certainly know, that 
human nature is dreadfully corrupted and vitiated, 
that it is opposite to the holiness and purity of the 
Divine Being, and that there is therefore great neces- 
sity of a Saviour to bring us to God, and to rectify our 
depraved nature. You may certainly know, that 
there is a great variety of predictions of such a Sa- 
viour, dispersed through the whole Old Testament, 
and that the whole nation of the Jews always did, and 
still do, from thence, live in raised expectation of a 
Messiah. You may certainly know, that there were 
a great number of rites and ceremonies religiously ob- 
served and practised among the Jews; and that sacri- 
ficing, in particular, was not only enjoined upon them, 
but early and generally practised among all nations. 
For none of which things can there be any manner 
of reason given or imagined, unless they were types 
and adumbrations of an expected Saviour. You may 
certainly know, that the time prefixed in the Jewish 
prophecies for the manifestation of the Messiah, was 
the very time in which, by the concurring testimony 
both of the friends and enemies of Christianity, the 
Lord Jesus Christ did appear. You may certainly 
know, that the Jewish prophets did foretell a suffering 
Saviour, a Saviour that should be wounded for our 
transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, that should 
make his soul an offering for sin, and that should be 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 25 

cut off, but not for himself; and you are equally cer- 
tain from all other historians, as well as from the 
evangelists, that our Lord Jesus Christ did undergo 
such opprobrium, misery, and death, as was foretold 
of the Messiah by the prophets. You may certainly 
know, that it was foretold in the prophets, that the 
sceptre should not depart from Judah, and a lawgiver 
from between his feet, until the coming of the Mes- 
siah; but that after his death the Jewish sacrifices 
should cease, and their holy city and sanctuary be de- 
stroyed and made desolate: and that the event does 
assure us, that the circumstances of the Jewish nation 
did exactly answer to these prophecies, both before 
and after the death of Jesus Christ. You may cer- 
tainly know, both by the Jewish and Christian pro- 
phecies, that under the gospel dispensation the Jews 
were to be rejected of God, and to continue despised 
and dispersed among all nations; but the Gentiles to 
come to the light of the Messiah, and see his right- 
eousness and glory: and that the event is agreeable to 
the prediction. You may certainly know, that the 
rise of Antichrist was predicted to be after the fall of 
the Roman empire, when that could no longer let or 
restrain him; that he should appear under the guise 
of a minister of religion, in the temple of God; that 
he should pretend to all power, and signs, and lying 
wonders; that he should make war with the saints 
and overcome them; that he should reside in the great 
city that was then built upon seven mountains, and 
reigned over the kings of the earth, which was true 
of the city of Rome only. And you may consider, 
whether all this is not true of the pope and the Ro- 
man papacy. You may certainly know the amazing 
progress of the gospel in the first ages of Christianity, 
in the face of the most formidable and powerful op- 
position; and its continuing progress, against all the 
attempts of its heathen and papal enemies. You may 
know the excellency of its doctrines, and the glorious 
effects it hath upon the hearts and lives of true be- 
lievers. You may know (as, blessed be God, multi- 
tudes do know by experience) how it conquers men's 

3 



26 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

corruptions, changes their natures, pacifies their con- 
sciences, fills their souls with light and joy, strength- 
ens them against temptations, sweetens the afflictions 
of life, and fortifies them against all the pains and 
terrors of death. And you also may know, that this 
gospel is the gospel of Christ, and consequently that 
these wonderful effects, which so evidently carry a 
divine signature upon them, are produced by him. 
All these things, and others of a like nature which 
might be mentioned, are immediately open to your 
view, most visible and certain; and one would think, 
that these alone would satisfy the mind of a serious 
and impartial inquirer into the truth of Christianity. 
And especially when these are accompanied with 
such other credentials of our holy religion, which, 
though not so directly in view, yet, by necessary 
consequence, give us the same assurance and certain- 
ty of the truth. 

But it is time I should come more directly to an- 
swer the objection, and to show you how it may by 
necessary consequence be known, that the facts upon 
which Christianity principally depends are certainly 
true. 

You yourself must own, it is impossible that those 
doctrines can be false, which are attested by so many 
and such kind of miracles, as are said to be wrought 
by our Lord Jesus Christ and his apostles. For God 
cannot set his seal to a lie; nor confirm a horrible 
imposture, by his immediate attestation from heaven. 

You must own, that it is impossible for the apostles 
and other witnesses of those miraculous operations, 
to be themselves deceived, .while they had ail the 
means of certainty in the case before us, that ever 
any men had in any case whatsoever. 

You must likewise own, that it is impossible for 
a great number of sober, judicious, and evidently 
honest men, to spend their lives in a continued con- 
spiracy against their own ease, comfort, honour, life, 
and eternal welfare, for no other motive, but to de- 
ceive the world; and bring eternal ruin upon them- 
selves and their fellow creatures; as these must have 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 27 

done, if they knew those facts to be false, which they 
published at their peril, and sealed with their blood. 

You. must also own, that it was impossible to de- 
ceive the world about them, at the time when these 
facts were done, by reporting, that such miraculous 
operations were openly performed before them all, 
which none of them knew any thing about. 

You will certainly own it is impossible that they 
could deceive the churches to whom they wrote, by 
vain pretences, that each one of these had themselves 
these extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, such as tongues, 
miracles, healing, prophecy, and the like, when every 
one of them knew that there was nothing in it. 

You must, in like manner, own it impossible for 
such multitudes of people, for so long a tract of time, 
to be imposed upon by pretences of miraculous ope- 
rations; and none of them ever detect the imposture, 
so much as in one single instance, while all of them 
had the opportunity of doing it when they pleased, if 
the facts had not been true. 

Can you imagine it any ways possible, that such 
multitudes in the first ages of Christianity, in such 
distant countries and nations, should conspire to- 
gether to acknowledge these facts, and the doctrines 
founded on them at the peril of their lives; and no 
man among these professors themselves, or among 
the heretics and apostates that fell away from them, 
should discover the fraud, either living or dying? 

You will certainly own it utterly impossible, that 
so many thousands, in so many lands, could, with joy 
and cheerfulness submit to such poor and afflicted 
lives, and to such cruel and barbarous deaths, as were 
the common lot of the first Christians, in confirma- 
tion of a religion, founded on facts which they knew 
to be false. 

And you must acknowledge it also altogether im- 
possible, at any time after these facts were pretended 
to be done, to palm the history of them upon the 
world, if it was false; and to persuade so many na- 
tions to receive it for truth. It were impossible to 
persuade any nation, and much more all the early 



28 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



nations of Christendom, that at some distant forgotten 
age there were a number of men that came among 
them, taught them the doctrines of Christianity, con- 
firmed the same by miracles, baptized them into the 
faith, and established a settled order of the ministry 
in their churches: from which time they have all of 
them professed the Christian faith; had the New 
Testament in their hands; and enjoyed a continued 
succession of ministers and ordinances. Let an at- 
tempt of this kind be made upon our Indians, and 
try, if any one man among them, can be imposed 
upon, to believe these things. 

To this I may add, that it is absolutely impossible, 
at any one time, to have obtruded the inspired wri- 
tings upon the world, if they were indeed spurious; 
and to have made all the Christian nations believe, 
that these were written in the apostolic age, speedily 
translated into divers languages, publicly kept, and 
publicly read and preached in their churches; that 
they and the fathers before them had always reve- 
renced and esteemed them as the rule of their lives, 
and their guide to eternal happiness. What success, 
but scorn and derision, could be hoped for from such 
an attempt? 

I may once more subjoin to all this, that it is at 
least highly improbable, that the early writers against 
Christianity should never deny these facts, if they 
were not notoriously true, when they could not want 
advantages to detect any fraud or deceit. And it is 
yet more improbable, that any of the adversaries of 
Christianity should confirm the truth of these facts, 
as we find some of them do, if they had not been 
most evidently and undoubtedly true. 

And now, sir, what can be wanting, what can you 
demand or desire more, to confirm you in the faith of 
Christianity? It is established upon the veracity of 
God himself; upon those facts, by which he has from 
heaven attested to the truth of it; and these facts are 
verified by evidences, which cannot possibly deceive 
us. By believing therefore, we set to our seal that 
God is true: But "he that belie veth not, maketh him 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



29 



a liar; because he belie veth not the record that God 
gave of his Son." 

You may perhaps tell me, that if you had seen 
these miracles yourself, you would have believed 
them. But has not every body else the same claim 
to this sort of satisfaction as you ; and the same reason 
to desire, to be eye and ear-witnesses of such miracu- 
lous operations? At this rate, miracles would cease 
to be miraculous, they would become common and 
familiar things; and no longer strike the mind with 
any conviction at all, any more than the ebbing and 
flowing of the sea, the rising and setting of the sun; 
or any other such displays of the divine power, in 
the common course of providence. 

Upon the whole, there is no evidence wanting, to 
leave the unbeliever inexcusable. There is evidence 
every way sufficient, to satisfy the mind of an impar- 
tial inquirer after truth. And it is impossible for any 
man in the world to imagine any means of confirma- 
tion in this important truth, superior to what is herein 
set before you. How unreasonable would it there- 
fore be, to require more evidence in a case, wherein 
we have already as much as we are possibly capable 
to receive? That it may be effectual to establish you 
in the faith, is and shall be the prayer of, 

Sir, yours, &c. 



LETTER III. 

A HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE BIRTH, LIFE, PASSION, RESUR- 
RECTION. ASCENSION, AND FUTURE KINGDOM OF OUR BLESS- 
ED SAVIOUR, COLLECTED FROM THE FROPHECIES OF THE OLD 
TESTAMENT. 

Sir — I rejoice to hear from you, that any endea- 
vours of mine have contributed in the least towards 
your satisfaction. I am thereby the more encouraged 



30 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



to hope, that your remaining difficulties may easily 
be obviated; and, particularly, that it will not prove 
difficult to answer your present demand, to show you 
"how you may certainly know that the prophecies 
of the Old Testament had a direct reference to Jesus 
Christ." You may know this by the exact corres- 
pondence of the prediction with the event. That this, 
therefore, may be set before you in a proper light, I 
will endeavour to give you (in the form of a history) 
a brief representation of our blessed Saviour, gathered 
from the Old Testament, and leave you Xq compare 
this with the narrative of him in the New. If these 
agree, you thereby have a certain discovery of the di- 
vine original of these prophecies, since none but an 
omniscient mind could possibly foresee these events. 
And you have likewise the same certainty, that Jesus 
Christ is the predicted Messiah, and that his mission 
is divine, since what was foretold of the Messiah in 
the prophets is fulfilled in him. 

The time of the manifestation of this glorious per- 
son, whom I am now to describe, was during the con- 
tinuance of the kingdom of Judah, while a sceptre 
was in the hand, and a Lawgiver came from between 
the feet of that tribe, Gen. xlix. 10, while the second 
temple was yet standing, Mai. iii. 1. Hag. ii. 7, just 
four hundred and fifty Chaldee years after the decree 
went forth to restore and build Jerusalem, which was 
in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes Longimanus, king 
of Persia, Dan. ix. 25.* This King likewise came 
into the world, and the God of heaven set up his 
everlasting kingdom at that season of the fourth or 
Roman monarchy, Dan. ii. 44, when there was an 
end put to the dreadful shaking of the heavens and 
the earth, the sea and the dry land, and indeed of all 
nations, by the wars of Alexander the Great, the four 
kingdoms that arose out of his conquests, and the Ro- 
mans, the conquerors of them all ; and when peace 

* Daniel's seven weeks and threescore and two weeks, or 483 years, 
were to terminate at the death of the Messiah. We must therefore 
subtract from that number the 33 years of his life; and there remain 
450 years to his birth. 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



31 



was restored to the world, Hag. ii. 6, 7, 9; which 
happened when Augustus Coesar was Emperor of 
Rome, and Herod the Great was King of Judea. 

As to the pedigree or descent of our blessed Sa- 
viour, it must be considered with respect to the two 
different natures that were united in this glorious per- 
son. For how wonderful soever it may appear to 
us, the man Christ Jesus was also Immanuel, God 
with us, Isa. vii. 14. And that divine child which 
was born, and that Son which was given to us, (at 
the time before described) is the mighty God, and the 
everlasting Father, as well as the Prince of Peace, 
Isa. ix. 6. He is that God, whose throne is for ever 
and ever, Psal. xlv. 6. And though a man, yet such 
a man, as is also God's own fellow, Zech. xii. 7. Now, 
if we consider his descent, with respect to his divine 
person it must necessarily be, that though he be God 
the Father's Son, and begotten by him, Psal. ii. 7, yet 
his going forth must have been from of old, from ever- 
lasting, Micah v. 2. And it is accordingly true, that 
the Lord possessed him in the beginning of his way 
before his works of old: He was set up from everlast- 
ing, from the beginning, or ever the earth was, Prov. 
viii. 22, 23. Being thus necessarily stopt from look- 
ing any further than to eternity, and to him that in- 
habits eternity, in considering the original of his divine 
person, I proceed to take notice, that in his human 
nature he descended from the loins of Abraham, Gen. 
xii. 3; of Isaac, Gen. xxvi. 4; and of Jacob, Gen. 
xxviii. 14; from the tribe of Judah, Gen. xlix. 10; 
and from the royal family of David, Psal. lxxxix. 35, 
36: — and that in a way surprisingly different from 
any ordinary human generation, a virgin conceived 
and brought forth a Son, whose name is Immanuel ; 
Isa. vii.. 14. And this new thing did God create in 
the earth, that a woman hath compassed a man. Jer. 
xxxi. 22. 

The place where our blessed Saviour was born was 
Bethlehem-Ephratah. This town, though but little 
among the thousands of Judah, was honoured with 
being the place out of which he came forth who is 



32 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

the supreme ruler in Israel, Micah v. 2. Here he was 
bom, but this was not the place of his chief and prin- 
cipal residence; that was Galilee of the nations. This 
people who had walked in darkness, saw this great 
light among them: even upon them who had dwelt 
in the land of the shadow of death hath this light 
shined. Isa. ix. 1, 2. 

The circumstances of his appearing in the world, 
were low, mean, and abased; very different from the 
expectations men had entertained of the Messiah, and 
therefore he was despised and rejected of men, they 
hid their faces from him, he was despised, and they 
esteemed him not, Isa. liii. 3. Nay, many were as- 
tonished at him, his visage was so marred, more than 
any man; and his form more than the sons of men, 
Isa. Hi. 14. So far was his appearance from that glory 
and majesty, that pomp and splendour, which was 
expected in the Messiah, that he was Considered as a 
worm and no man, a reproach of men, and despised 
of the people, Psal. xxii. 6. Even the priests and 
rulers themselves, who should have been the build- 
ers of the Jewish church, refused this stone, which is 
become the head of the corner. Psal. cxviii. 22. And 
the reason of this was, that they saw no form nor 
comeliness, no riches nor honour, no magnificence nor 
beauty in him, that they should desire him. Isa. liii. 2. 

The characters, in which he appeared in the world, 
were those of a Prophet, Priest, and King: to each of 
which, it is proper to speak something particularly. 

The Lord our God did, in the person of our blessed 
Saviour, raise up unto his people a prophet, like unto 
Moses, the greatest and most eminent prophet of the 
Jewish church: he put his words into his mouth, that 
he might speak unto them, whatsoever he commanded 
him; and held his people under the strongest injunc- 
tion, upon their peril, to hearken to the words which 
this prophet should speak in his name, Dent, xviii. 
18, 19. And as our Lord Jesus Christ was destined 
by t>od the Father unto the prophetical office, he 
cheerfully undertook it. Lo I come, says he, in the 
volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



33 



do thy will, my God: Yea thy law is within my 
heart, Psal. xl. 7, S. And as he cheerfully undertook, 
so he diligently and faithfully discharged this sacred 
and important trust. He, as a wonderful counsellor, 
(Isa. ix. 6,) preached constantly to the people, and 
made known the whole mind and will of God to 
them; and could make this appeal to his heavenly 
Father, I have preached righteousness in the great 
congregation. Lo, I have not refrained my lips, 
Lord, thou knowest. I have not hid thy righteous- 
ness within my heart. I have declared thy faithful- 
ness and thy salvation. I have not concealed thy 
loving kindness and thy truth from the great congre- 
gation, Psal. xl. 9, 10. He constantly preached 
among the people the blessed and joyful news of a 
glorious salvation from their sin, guilt, danger, and 
misery. " The Spirit of the Lord was upon him, 
because the Lord had anointed him to preach good 
tidings unto the meek, he sent him to bind up the 
brokenhearted; to proclaim liberty to the captives, 
and the opening of the prison to them that were 
bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, 
to comfort all that mourn, to appoint unto them that 
mourn in Zion, and to give unto them beauty for 
ashes, the oil of joy for mourning; and the garment 
of praise for the spirit of heaviness," Isa. lxi. 1, 2, 3. 
He exercised most tender compassion to dark, doubt- 
ing, and tempted souls. " The bruised reed did he 
not break, and the smoking flax did he not quench, 
until he brought forth judgment unto truth, Isa. xlii. 3. 
" He strengthened the weak hands; and confirmed the 
feeble knees; and said to them of a faint heart, be 
strong, fear not," Isa. xxxv. 3. He warned the care- 
less and secure sinners of their misery and danger; 
and "proclaimed unto them the day of vengeance of 
our God," Isa. lxi. 2. He warned them to " be wise, 
to serve the Lord with fear; and to kiss the Son, lest 
he should be angry, and they perish from the way, 
when his wrath is kindled but a little," Psal. ii. 10, 
11, 12. He made the pathway of salvation plain, 
before the eyes of all those who believe in him, like 



34 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



an "high way, where the wayfaring men, though 
fools, could not err," Isa. xxxv. 8. He considered 
his people as his flock; and took care of them, as a 
most watchful and careful shepherd. "He fed his 
flock like a shepherd, he gathered his lambs with his 
arm, he carried them in his bosom, and gently led 
those that were with young," Isa. xl. 11. 

I next proceed to give you a view of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, as the great High Priest of our profes- 
sion. As such, he undertook to make an atonement 
and expiation for our sins. " He bore our griefs and 
carried our sorrows; the chastisement of our peace 
was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. 
God laid upon him the iniquity of us all; and he 
made his soul an offering for our sins," Isa. liii. 4, 5, 
6, 10. Thus "he finished the transgression, made 
an end of sin; and made reconciliation for iniquity, 
Dan. ix. 24. — He likewise wrought out a perfect 
righteousness for sinners, whereby they should be 
justified before God, and accepted of him. "God 
raised up this righteous branch unto David, in whose 
day Judah is saved, and Israel dwells safely; and 
this is the name whereby he is called, the Lord our 
righteousness." Jer. xxiii. 5, 6. He is "one who 
speaks in righteousness, mighty to save," Isa. Ixiii. 1. 
For "he has brought in everlasting righteousness," 
Dan. ix. 24. As a priest likewise, he brings us into 
a covenant relation to God. He is the messenger or 
angel of the covenant, Mai. iii. 1. " The Lord in an 
accepted time heard him; and in a day of salvation 
has helped him, has preserved him, and given him 
for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth," 
Isa. xlix. 8. "By the blood of his covenant, God 
has sent forth his prisoners out of the pit, wherein is 
no water;" and God has promised that " he will keep 
his mercy for him for evermore; and that his covenant 
shall stand fast with him," Psal. lxxxix. 28. Thus 
the counsel of peace was between God the Father and 
him. In a word, as our priest, he is our advocate 
with the Father; and < ; makes intercession for trans- 
gressors," Isa. liii. 12. Thus we see, that according 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



35 



to God's oath concerning him, " he remained) a priest 
for ever, after the order of Melchizedec," Psal. ex. 4. 

This blessed Saviour sustained likewise the office 
of a king, God hath " set this his king upon his holy 
hill of Zion," Psal. ii. 6. " The throne of God (our 
Saviour) is for ever and ever; and the sceptre of his 
kingdom is a right sceptre," Psal. xlv. 6. As a king, 
he reigns in the hearts of his people, brings them into 
subjection to himself; and " makes them willing in 
the day of his power," Psal. ex. 3. As a king, "he 
sits at God's right hand ; and rules in the midst of his 
enemies," Psal. ex. 1,2. " In his majesty he rides 
forth prosperously; and his arrows are sharp in the 
heart of the king's enemies," Psal. xlv. 4, 5. His 
regal office was not limited to the time of his bodily 
residence among us; "for of the increase of his go- 
vernment and peace there is no end. He sits upon 
the throne of David, and in his kingdom, to order it 
and to establish it, with judgment and with justice, 
from henceforth even for ever," Isa. ix. 7. Such 
cause had u Zion to rejoice greatly, and the daughter 
of Jerusalem to shout; for, behold, her King came to 
her, just and having salvation," Zech. ix. 9. 

Having thus shown, from the prophetic account of 
our blessed Saviour, the time of his manifestation, his 
descent, the place of his birth, and the place of his 
principal residence, with the circumstances of his 
appearing in the world, and the characters in which 
he appeared ; I proceed to observe some of his distin- 
guishing qualities, and the more remarkable incidents 
of his life and death. 

As to his personal properties, he was perfectly inno- 
cent, and most exemplarily holy both in heart and 
life; and in that respect, fairer "than the children of 
men. Grace was poured into his lips, therefore God 
hath blessed him for ever,'* Psal. xlv. 2. He was 
" God's righteous servant, and there was no deceit 
found in his mouth," Isa. liii. 9. 11. He was " the 
Sun of righteousness, which arose upon his people, 
with healing under his wings," or in his rays, Mai. 
iv. 2. 



36 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



He was of a meek and lowly disposition. This 
King of Zion came to her not only just, and having 
salvation, but showed himself lovely, by most aston- 
ishing condescensions, Zech. ix. 9. " He gave his 
back to the smiters, and his cheeks to them who 
plucked off the hair; he hid not his face from shame 
and spitting," Isa. 1. 6. "Though he was oppressed 
and afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth," Isa. liii. 
7. " He did not cry nor lift up, nor cause his voice 
to be heard in the streets," Isa. xlii. 2. 

He was endowed with astonishing wisdom and ca- 
pacity. " The Spirit of the Lord rested upon him, the 
spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of coun- 
sel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear 
of the Lord," Isa. xi. 2, 3. Thus did " the servant of 
the Lord deal prudently, he was exalted and extolled, 
and was very high," Isa. Hi. 13. He, and only he, of 
all the human race, could say, " Counsel is mine, and 
sound wisdom, I am understanding, I have strength," 
Prov. viii. 14. 

Previous to his entering upon his public ministry, 
there was a messenger sent before him, to prepare the 
hearts of God's people for his reception, whose 
" Voice cried in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way 
of the Lord, make straight in the desert a high way 
for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and 
every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the 
crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places 
plain; and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed; 
and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the 
Lord hath spoken it," Isa. xl. 3, 4, 5. Thus God 
sent one to his people in the spirit of " Elijah the pro- 
phet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day 
of the Lord, to turn the heart of the fathers to the 
children, and the heart of the children to the fathers. 
He sent his messenger to prepare his way before him; 
and then the Lord whom they sought came suddenly 
to his temple," Mai. iv. 5, 6, and iii. 1. 

When he entered upon his public ministry " God 
gave him the tongue of the learned, that he should 
know how to speak a word in season to the weary;" 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 37 

and he was most painful and diligent in his work, he 
was "awakened morning by morning, his ear was 
awakened to hear," and vigorously to attend to the 
great business before him, Isa. 1. 4. He began his 
ministry in the mountainous parts of Judea; and 
"how beautiful then upon the mountaius were the 
feet of him who brought good tidings, who published 
peace, who brought good tidings of good, who pub- 
lished salvation, who said unto Zion, Thy God reign- 
eth," Isa. hi. 7. As he resided in Galilee (as was be- 
fore observed) so his ministry early and peculiarly 
enlightened those dark corners, " the land of Zebulon, 
and the land of Naphlhali; though they had dwelt in 
the land of the shadow of death, his light shined upon 
them," Isa. ix. 1, 2. But then his ministry was not 
limited to them. This star which came out of Jacob, 
(Num. xxiv. 17,) enlightened the whole land of Israel 
in that time of gross ignorance and thick darkness. 
They might all be called upon to "arise and shine, 
for their light was come, and the glory of the Lord 
was risen upon them ;" though " darkness had cover- 
ed the earth, and gross darkness the people, yet the 
Lord arose upon them, and his glory was seen upon 
them," Isa. Ix. 1, 2. " He preached righteousness in 
the great congregation," Psal. xl. 9. "He came into 
the temple," (Mai. iii. 1,) and by his preaching there 
made " the glory of that latter house, much greater 
than the glory of the former," which was built by 
Solomon, Hag. ii. 9. In what manner he fulfilled his 
ministry has been already considered. 

In confirmation of his divine mission he wrought 
many wonderful miracles among the people, wherever 
he went. "The Lord their God came among them, 
he came to save them: then the eyes of the blind were 
opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; the lame 
man leaped as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb 
sung," Isa. xxxv. 5, 6. " In that day, the deaf heard 
the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind saw 
out of obscurity and out of darkness, the meek also 
increased their joy in the Lord, and the poor among 



38 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



men rejoiced in the holy one of Israel," Isa. xxix. 
IS, 19. 

When the stretching out of Immanuel's wings had 
thus filled the land of Judah, it might have been ex- 
pected that he would have met with a most joyful en- 
tertainment amongst the people : but the case was 
otherwise. Though " he was for a sanctuary to 
some," yet " he was for a stone of stumbling, and for 
a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a 
gin and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem;" 
and " many among them stumbled and fell, were 
broken, and snared, and taken." For " the testimony 
was bound up, and the law sealed among his disci- 
ples," Isa. viii. 8. 14, 15, 16, known indeed and un- 
derstood by them, but kept hid as a secret from the 
body of the Jewish nation. Notwithstanding the in- 
defatigable labours of our blessed Lord, in instructing 
this people, though " God made his mouth like a sharp 
sword, and made him a polished shaft in his quiver:" 
yet did he find cause to complain that he laboured in 
vain, and spent his strength for nought, and in vain, 
Isa. xlix. 2, 4. " Who," among all the Jewish nation 
were there that "believed his report? and to whom 
was the arm of the Lord revealed? He was rejected 
and despised of them; and they hid their faces from 
him," Isa. liii. 1,3. It is true, he had a considerable 
number of temporary followers; there appeared some 
numbers of" the children of Zion, who rejoiced great- 
ly ; and of the children of Jerusalem who shouted 
when they beheld their King come to them, just and 
having salvation, lowly and riding upon an ass, and 
upon a colt, the foal of an ass." Zech. ix. 9. But we 
shall quickly see, that this joy was all turned into ha- 
tred, and rage, and malice. 

I proceed next to show the manner of our Saviour's 
sufferings, from the hands of this people. When their 
" rulers took counsel together against the Lord, and 
against his anointed," Psal. ii. 2, he was betrayed in- 
to their hands, by "one of his familiar friends, in 
whom he trusted," Psal. xli. 9. They " wounded and 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



39 



bruised him, the chastisement of our peace was upon 
him, that by his stripes we might be healed," Isa. 
liii. 5. "He gave his back to the smiters;" and 
though they buffeted and spit upon him, yet such was 
his astonishing meekness and patience, that " he gave 
his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair, and hid 
not his face from shame and spitting," Isa. 1. 6. 
"They pierced his hands and feet," Psal. xxii. 16, 
and when they had nailed him to the cross, " they 
gave him gall for his meat; and in his thirst gave him 
vinegar to drink," Psal. lxix. 21. They mocked and 
upbraided, and even "laughed him to scorn, they 
shot out their lips, they shook their heads, saying, 
"He trusted in the Lord, that he would deliver him, 
let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him," 
Psal. xxii. 7, 8. In time, they "cut him off from the 
land of the living," Isa. liii. 8. " Thus was the Mes- 
siah cut off, but not for himself," Dan. ix. 26. "For 
the transgression of God's people was he stricken. 
He made his soul an offering for sin, and he pqured 
out his soul unto death, that he might bear the sin of 
many, and make intercession for transgressors," Isa. 
liii. 8, 10, 12. After his death his murderers "parted 
his garments among them; and cast lots upon his ves- 
ture," Psal. xxii. 18. And being dead, " he made 
his grave with the rich," Isa. liii. 9. That is, he was 
buried in a rich man's tomb. 

Thus I have followed our blessed Saviour to the 
grave. But could the grave detain him? Could 
it keep him prisoner? No! "I know that my 
Redeemer liveth ; and that he shall stand at the latter 
day, upon the earth," Job xix. 25. His flesh might 
go to the grave, and rest in hope; for God would 
not leave his soul in hell; nor suffer his holy One to 
be so lon£ under the power of death, as to see cor- 
ruption, Psal. xvi. 9, 10. After "his soul was made 
an offering for sin, he saw his seed; and prolonged 
his days," Isa. liii. 10. He ascended to the right 
hand of God ; and the Lord said to him, " Sit thou 
at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy 



40 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



footstool/' Psal. ex. 1. " He ascended on high, that he 
might lead captivity captive ; and give gifts unto 
men," Psal. lxviii. 16. 

Having thus given you some account from the 
ancient prophecies, of the life, death, and resurrection 
of our Lord Jesus Christ, I shall now proceed to 
show you some of the consequences of this great event. 

And it may be proper in the first place to take 
notice, what were the effects of the Jews thus rejecting 
and murdering the Prince of life; and to show you, 
that the people of Titus, the Roman " prince came 
upon them, destroyed their city and the sanctuary, 
caused the sacrifice and the oblation to cease ; and 
the abominations (or abominable armies) with their 
eagles (and superstitious rites) to overspread and to 
make them desolate/' Dan. ix. 27. When "God had 
laid in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a 
precious corner stone, and a sure foundation" for all 
that would believe in him, he then took notice of 
" the scornful men that ruled in Jerusalem. He 
laid judgment to the line, and righteousness to the 
plummet, the hail swept away their refuge of lies ; 
and the waters overflowed their hiding place. Their 
covenant with death was disannulled, and their 
agreement with hell could not stand ; when the over- 
flowing scourge passed through them; and they 
were trodden down by it, from the time it went forth 
it took them, for morning by morning it passed over 
them; by day and by night, until it was a vexation 
only to understand the report. For the Lord rose 
up as in mount Perazim, he went forth as in the 
valley of Gibeon ; and a consumption was determined 
upon the whole earth," or upon the whole land, Isa. 
xxviii. 14 — 22. "The Lord numbered them to the 
sword; and they all bowed down to the slaughter; 
because when he called they did not answer, when 
he spake they did not hear; but did evil before his 
eyes, and chose that wherein he delighted not; there- 
fore the Lord said unto them, Behold, my servants 
(the Christians) shall eat; but ye shall be hungry. 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 41 

Behold, my servants shall drink; but ye shall be 
thirsty. Behold, my servants shall rejoice : but ye 
shall be ashamed. Behold, my servants shall sing 
for joy of heart : but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, 
and shall howl for vexation of spirit. And ye shall 
leave your name for a curse unto my chosen, for the 
Lord God shall slay thee, and call his servants by 
another name;" Christians and not Jews, Isa. lxv. 
12—16. 

Another consequence of the excision of the Mes- 
siah, and his pouring out his soul unto death, was 
the calling the Gentiles into a church state. «• Be- 
hold God's servant whom he upholds, his elect in 
whom his soul delighted, he has put his spirit upon 
him; and he hath brought forth judgment unto the 
Gentiles. He has not failed nor been discour- 
aged, 'till he has set judgment upon the earth; and 
the isles have waited for his law," Isa. xlii. 1, 4. 
" Then did the barren sing that did not bear ; she 
broke forth into singing and cried aloud, that had not 
travailed with child ; and more were the children 
of the desolate, than of the married wife. For she 
brake forth on the right hand and on the left; and 
her seed inherited the Gentiles; and made the deso- 
late cities to be inhabited," Isa. liv. 1, 3. Thus was 
our Lord Jesus Christ " given for a light to the Gen- 
tiles, that he might be for salvation unto the ends of 
the earth," Isa. xlix. 6. And the Gentiles came to 
his light, and the kings to the brightness of his rising, 
Isa. Ix. 3. 

Thus you have had a general view of our blessed 
Saviour's life, death, resurrection, ascension, and 
kingdom, out of the Jewish prophets. I have not 
given you all (nor indeed a tenth part) of the predic- 
tions of the Messiah, that are to be found in the 
Old Testament; and yet I have by these brief hints, 
given you the advantage to consider, whether these 
prophecies did not in all circumstances exactly agree 
to the Lord Jesus Christ; and whether they did or 
possibly could agree to any other person in the world. 

4 



42 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

And now, sir, I leave it to yourself to judge, 
whether we can either have or desire greater certainly 
of any past event, than that these prophecies did 
directly refer to and were all accomplished in the 
Lord Jesus Christ. 

Suppose we had a certain direction, when to begin 
the forty-two months, or one thousand two hundred 
and sixty years of Antichrist's reign, as we have with 
respect to the beginning of Daniel's weeks ; and that 
you should find by calculation that they should ter- 
minate in the year 1746; and being filled with ex- 
pectations of the events of that year, should (when 
it comes) actually see all the Popish princes of Europe 
brought into subjection, the Protestant princes united 
in confederacy, the city of Rome sacked and burnt, 
and the Papal hierarchy every where overturned; 
the Turkish empire destroyed ; and the Jews col- 
lected and brought into the Christian church: would 
you not acknowledge these prophecies to be of divine 
original ; and the Pope and Roman papacy to be the 
Antichrist therein predicted ? And would you not also 
live in certain expectation of all the other events, which 
are foretold as consequences of this revolution ? You 
certainly would. And yet I must take the liberty 
to tell you, that there is a much brighter light shines 
upon the prophecies concerning our blessed Saviour, 
in their exact accomplishment, than this would prove, 
should all these circumstances concur, as is here 
supposed. 

That the Lord may graciously grant both you and 
me a sincere faith in this blessed Saviour ; and pre- 
pare us both for the great events that are hastening 
upon us, is the prayer of 

Sir, Yours, &c. 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 43 



LETTER IV. 

THE CERTAINTY OF THOSE FACTS, UPON WHICH THE EVI- 
DENCES OF CHRISTIANITY DEPEND. 

Sir — You mistake in supposing, that " my last 
letter has set the evidence of our Saviour's divine 
mission, from the Old Testament prophecies, in the 
strongest light." There might be much stronger 
light brought from the prophetic writings, in confir- 
mation of this blessed truth; and yet you must allow 
me the freedom to tell you, that my letter justly 
demands of you a firmer assent, than you are pleased 
to express, to that fundamental article of our faith 
and hope. It represents to you more than " a strong 
probability, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and 
the Saviour of the world." Consider, I beseech you, 
whether it is possible, for any or for all created intel- 
ligences, to foresee and foretell such future events, as 
depend wholly upon the mere good pleasure of God; 
such events as are altogether out of the way of God's 
ordinary dispensations of providence; and such events 
as had not the least probability from the known laws 
of nature, to have ever come to pass; and then to 
overrule the various revolutions of nature and pro- 
vidence in such a way, as is utterly inconsistent with, 
and in many instances altogether contrary to, the 
known stated methods of God's governing the world, 
in order that those predictions (even in every parti- 
cular circumstance) should be exactly accomplished. 
I entreat you, Sir, to consider the affair in this view, 
(for in this view it ought to be considered,) and then 
tell me, whether the evidences do not amount to more 
than a strong probability. And consider what evi- 
dence of this kind you yourself can possibly imagine, 
that would bring your mind into a full acquiescence 
in this truth, as certain and undoubted. 

If there can be any reasonable doubt remaining, 
it must be for one of these following causes. Either, 



44 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

1. It must be supposed, that the Jewish prophets 
had no such events in their eye; that the quoted pre- 
dictions had a reference to something else; or per- 
haps no reference to any thing at all: but were the 
casual sallies of the several authors' fruitful fancies or 
imaginations. 

But then, if this be supposed, how comes it to pass 
that they are so exactly verified? Certain it is, that 
the Jews supposed all these predictions to be divine- 
inspirations, kept up stated memorials of them, and 
longed for their accomplishment. And it is equally 
certain, that at the very time when they ought to be 
expected, they were all fulfilled in every circum- 
stance. This is an affair that demands your attention. 
Here are predictions of most wonderful and amazing 
events, such as no appearances that ever had been in 
the world could any way lead the minds of the pro- 
phets to think of or imagine. These events were fore- 
told as to time, place, and many other particular cir- 
cumstances, that you see a history of our Saviour's 
birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension, and future 
kingdom, could be made up out of these prophecies: 
and, to crown the whole, they have all beeo^ exactly 
fulfilled. Now, then, I have a right to demand, Were 
these from heaven or of men ? Can the most licen- 
tious imagination apprehend these very numerous and 
various predictions to be the effects of capricious fan- 
cies; and their fulfilment a matter of mere chance or 
casualty? Then may the Epicurean philosophy take 
place again, and the world in its glory, order and 
symmetry, be reasonably believed to be the effect of 
a fortuitous concourse and jumble of atoms. I hope, 
this doubt is cleared out of your way, and I know of 
but one more that can remain; which is, 

2. That there never were any such predictions of 
these things in the Jewish prophets; but that all of 
them were written since the events. 

But, then, you must suppose that this was done by 
the Christians, without the privity of the Jews and 
others, who had these books in their hands; or that it 
was done by a joint confederacy of Christians and 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



45 



Jews. If the former, you must imagine that the 
whole nation of the Jews, and all the other nations 
who had the Greek translation of the Jewish Bible in 
their hands, must be persuaded to believe, that they 
always had and always read those things in their 
Bible, which were never there; or else all of them to 
a man must be prevailed upon, out of complaisance 
to their greatest adversaries, to interpolate their Bi- 
bles, by inserting these predictions, and not leave to 
posterity a single copy unadulterated, to discover and 
correct the fraud. But if you choose the latter of those 
suppositions, that these prophecies were added to 
the Jewish Bibles by a joint confederacy of Christians 
and Jews, you must imagine, that the whole Jewish 
nation, in all their most distant dispersions, united in 
a confederacy to furnish the world with armour 
against their own infidelity, and to represent them- 
selves as the most unreasonable and wicked of all 
mankind. These absurdities are, I am sure, too gross 
for you to entertain; and yet I may venture to chal- 
lenge you to think of any other way, in which it is 
possible this could be done. 

But you tell me, "It appears the greatest difficulty 
to you, to come at any certainty of the truth of those 
facts, upon which the evidence of Christianity de- 
pends." And I readily acknowledge, that if these 
facts are not true, all our reasonings from prophecy, 
and miracles too, will come to nothing. It is there- 
fore proper to consider this case more particularly. 
And in order that this may be brought into the closest 
view, and the conclusion necessarily force itself upon 
our minds, let us consider what consequences must 
follow upon the supposition, that these facts are not 
true. You can have no rational doubt of these things, 
but upon one of these suppositions ; either, 

1. That the Apostles, and other reporters of these 
facts, did themselves certainly know that their narra- 
tives of these miracles were all of them mere fictions 
and falsehoods, and that they never did in fact see 
any such miraculous works performed by Jesus 
Christ; that they never did see and converse with 



46 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

him after his resurrection; and that they never had 
those miraculous gifts and powers themselves; nor 
ever instrumentally conveyed them to others. — Or, 

2. That the reporters of these facts, and many 
thousands of others, had their senses and * imagina- 
tions imposed upon," and were made to believe that 
they did see, hear, and feel, such miraculous opera- 
tions as were never performed. — Or else, 

3. That this whole history was an after-game, and 
a mere piece of forgery obtruded upon the world, af- 
ter the facts were pretended to be done. 

These are all the suppositions that can possibly be 
made in this case. And I have already in my second 
letter offered you some proof, that they are all of 
them unreasonable and absurd. However, for your 
satisfaction, I will endeavour to show you under each 
of these suppositions, some of those absurdities that 
will necessarily follow from them. 

In the first place, if it be supposed that the report- 
ers of these facts did themselves certainly know that 
they were false, then it will follow, that thousands of 
others, before whom these miracles were said to be 
done, did also certainly know that they were mere 
fictions and fables. For they were as capable of cer- 
tainty, whether they had seen those multitudes of 
plain, open, visible facts, which are reported, as the 
apostles were themselves. Upon this supposition, all 
Judea and Jerusalem must certainly know, that they 
never saw any such descent of the Holy Ghost in 
cloven tongues upon the apostles and company; and 
that they know nothing of those gifts of languages, 
which were pretended. The several churches through- 
out the world, among whom the apostles went, did 
certainly know that they saw no miracles wrought 
by them in confirmation of their mission; that they 
never had nor knew any thing about those miracu- 
lous gifts, which were said to be so common among 
them. And yet that all these conspired in the deceit 
(Jews, as well as Gentiles) to the utter subversion of 
the religion in which they had been educated; and 
multitudes of them at the expense of their honours, 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 47 

estates, and lives, not one person among them all ap- 
pearing to detect the villany. The Jews tamely sub- 
mitting to the loss of their religion, and to the impu- 
tation of the blackest crime that ever was committed; 
and the Christian churches as tamely submitting to 
all that is shocking and terrible to nature, rather than 
contradict and disprove what they knew to be false. 
Nay, what is more surprising still, all of these, even 
the greatest enemies of Christianity among them, 
have not only allowed, but actually asserted the truth 
of these facts; which, upon this supposition, they might 
have so easily disproved, to the utter ruin of the Chris- 
tian cause. And to crown all, there can be no motive 
in the world imagined, to put any of them upon ac- 
knowledging such notorious and abominable false- 
hoods. As I know, on the one hand, that you cannot 
swallow such gross absurdities as these; so I also 
know, on the other hand, that you have no way to 
avoid them, upon the supposition before us. 

It may be further observed, that if the reporters of 
these miracles did themselves know, that their nar- 
ratives were fictitious and false, it will also follow, 
that the most vile and wicked men that ever were in 
the world, and the most abandoned to all sense of 
virtue and piety, did draw up the best system of 
practical religion, the most worthy of God and man, 
that ever was known; that they, contrary to their 
inward principles, set the best examples, and walked 
according to the rules of this religion themselves; 
yea, without any known motive, spent their whole 
lives in a continued course of the greatest toil, fatigue, 
and misery, that ever men did, to promote this re- 
ligion, to impress it upon the minds of others, and to 
teach them, according to it, to live in the love and 
fear of God. It will also follow, that these enemies 
of God and godliness (who were so profane, as 
against their own light to propagate this imposture, 
in the name of God Almighty) did not only give up 
the hopes of future happiness, but all the comforts 
of this life also, in vindication of this known false- 
hood ; that to this end they ventured upon every 



48 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

thing that is most terrible and affrighting to human 
nature, and even upon the most cruel and barbarous 
death, without the least possible hopes of advantage, 
either in this world or that which is to come. For 
they did know, and could not but know, that they 
were going themselves, and leading their followers, 
upon the pikes of their numerous and potent adver- 
saries, without any prospect beyond the grave (upon 
the supposition before us) but of eternal damnation. 
And what still increases the absurdity of this sup- 
position, is, not one of these ever retracted this known 
falsehood, even in the article of death : but boldly 
encountered the most shameful and painful death 
their adversaries could inflict, rather than confess 
the truth. What, sir, can you possibly imagine of 
such conduct as this? That these men were not 
mad and distracted, appears evidently by their works; 
which, though plain and familiar, were the most 
consistent, divine, and rational, that ever appeared in 
the world. Here must therefore be a continued 
scene of miracles, one way or other. It must at 
least be allowed miraculous, for so many men know- 
ingly and continually to act in direct opposition to 
all their interests, comforts, and hopes; and run 
counter to all the principles of humanity, to all the 
springs of action, that were ever known among 
men. 

Let us now try the second supposition ; and inquire 
whether it is possible that the reporters of these facts, 
and all other spectators of them, had their senses im- 
posed upon, by any ledgerdemain trick, juggle, or 
deceit? Whether, for instance, the senses of the 
apostles were imposed upon for some years together, 
while there were daily miracles wrought by their 
master, before their eyes ? Whether the senses of 
whole multitudes were imposed upon, that they really 
thought they saw the sick healed, the dead raised, 
&c, and these things repeated again and again for a 
long tract of time, when there was indeed nothing at 
all in it ? Whether the witnesses of our Lord's resur- 
rection were imposed upon, when they supposed 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 49 

they saw him after his death, ate and drank and con- 
versed familiarly with him for forty days together, 
and beheld him taken up to Heaven before their eyes? 
And whether all the first churches were imposed 
upon when they imagined that they saw miracles 
repeatedly wrought among them; and had them- 
selves miraculous gifts and powers? If these ex- 
travagant suppositions are allowed, of what service 
can our senses be to us ; and how can we any way 
be certain of any thing whatsoever ? We may as 
reasonably imagine, that our whole life has been one 
continued dream; and that in reality we never saw, 
heard, felt, thought, spake, or acted any thing at all. 
Here likewise you must necessarily allow a continued 
course of miracles, one way or other. At least it 
must be allowed miraculous, that so great a part of 
the world should all lose their senses together; and 
yet all of them imagine that they had all this time 
their senses in their full exercise. 

Let us next consider, whether the last of the sup- 
positions, that the whole history of the miracles 
wrought by our Lord Jesus Christ and his apostles, 
was an after-game, a mere piece of forgery, obtruded 
upon the world in some distant time after the facts 
were pretended to be done, will appear more reason- 
able than the others already considered. 

I have spoken something to this in my second 
letter, to which I refer you: and shall now only add 
some hints further to illustrate the case before us. If 
this last case be supposed, the forgery must be palmed 
upon the world, either before or after Christianity had 
generally obtained. If this false history was thrust 
upon the world in some distant age after the facts 
were pretended to be done, before Christianity had 
generally obtained, it will then follow, that all the 
historians of those times (Christian, Jewish, and Pa- 
gan) have united in confederacy, to give us a false 
account of Christianity's immediately succeeding the 
crucifixion of Christ, not only in Judea, but in all 
parts of the Roman empire. That they do all agree 
in this report, is what you must acknowledge: but 



50 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

how they came to unite in relating such matters of 
fact, which they all (upon this supposition) must know 
to be false, is what no man can possibly imagine. If 
this was done after Christianity had obtained, it will 
follow, that a great part of the world renounced the 
religion in which they had been educated, for the 
despised doctrine of the cross, and for a life of con- 
tinued contempt, misery, and peril, without knowing 
the reason why ; and altogether ignorant of the foun- 
dation upon which their new religion was built. For, 
if they professed Christianity, before they knew the 
history of Christ's life, miracles, death, resurrection, 
ascension, and before they had heard of the apostles' 
progress and miraculous works, with the miraculous 
gifts of the Holy Ghost, which accompanied their 
ministry; they then all agreed to sacrifice their most 
valuable temporal interests, and multitudes of them 
endured the most terrible deaths, in a cause which 
they knew nothing about, and none of them knew 
any manner of reason why they should do so. That 
is, in plain English, a great part of the world ran mad 
at once, most unaccountably; and from these mad 
men, Christianity is descended down to the present 
time. 

It may be further observed, that upon the supposi- 
tion before us, it will also follow, that in whatever 
distant age from these pretended facts, this history 
was palmed upon the world, all men at once must be 
persuaded to believe for truth, what they knew to be 
false. These histories declare, that they were written 
by the apostles and immediate disciples of our Lord, 
that the authors of these histories did propagate the 
gospel through the world, did send these writings to 
the churches to be kept in their hands, as the rule of 
their lives, and the directory of their conduct; and 
that in fact, multitudes of the several nations were 
proselyted unto, and baptized into the faith of Chris- 
tianity. Now was it possible, at any time whatso- 
ever, after those pretended facts, that these nations 
could be ignorant, whether these books and this reli- 
gion were handed down to them by their progenitors? 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



51 



Could not every one of the nations, who are in these 
books said to be converted to Christianity, at once 
conclude that they had never heard any thing of this 
nature before ; and therefore, that these histories were 
all false and spurious; and consequently not worthy 
of the least notice? Is it possible, that the world 
should agree to venture both time and eternity upon 
such a known falsehood? Could all the world at once 
be gulled by such glaring and open forgery and de- 
ceit? In a word, these books were many of them 
directed to large societies of men, in different parts 
of the world, were early translated into divers lan- 
guages, in which they are still extant, have been pub- 
licly kept and publicly read in the churches, have 
been appealed to by all parties and sects; and never 
called in question as a forgery, either by the friends 
or enemies of the Christian cause. All these things 
put together, we have as much certainty, that these 
histories are not, cannot be forgery or imposture, as 
we can have of any thing whatsoever, not immedi- 
ately open to our senses. 

Now, sir, let us sum up this evidence; and see 
what the conclusion must be. 

All mankind must own, that if the history of these 
facts be true; if the Lord Jesus Christ did perform so 
many astonishing miracles for so long a time to- 
gether, in justification of his divine mission; if he did 
himself rise from the dead, commission his apostles 
to their work, endow them with the miraculous gifts 
of the Holy Ghost, and empower them, by the impo- 
sition of their hands, to communicate the same mi- 
raculous gifts to others, here was certainly the great- 
est interposition of heaven in favour of the Christian 
institution, that can possibly be imagined or con- 
ceived. The power and veracity of God himself 
were at stake in this cause: for they were both ap- 
pealed to in confirmation of the truth: and both in 
the most amazing manner displayed, in answer to 
that appeal. All doubting in this case is therefore a 
calling in question the truth and faithfulness of God 
himself, as well as his power. 



52 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



If this history be not true, then all the known laws 
of nature were changed: all the motives and incen- 
tives to human actions, that ever had obtained in the 
world, have been entirely inverted: The wickedest 
men in the world have taken the greatest pains, and 
endured the greatest hardship and misery, to invent, 
practise, and propagate the most holy religion that 
ever was: and not. only the apostles and first preach- 
ers of the gospel, but whole nations of men, and all 
sorts of men, Christian, Jew, and Pagan, were (no 
body can imagine how or why) confederated to pro- 
pagate a known cheat against their own honour, inte- 
rest, and safety: and multitudes of men, without any 
prospect of advantage here or hereafter, were brought 
most constantly and tenaciously to profess what they 
knew to be false, to exchange all the comforts and 
pleasures of life for shame and contempt, for banish- 
ments, scourgings, imprisonments, and death; in a 
word, voluntarily to expose themselves to be hated 
both of God and man, and that without any known 
motive whatsoever. This must be allowed, or else 
you must allow, that no man ever was or ever can 
be certain of any thing; as is more particularly con- 
sidered above. 

There now remains one of these three things a ne- 
cessary conclusion from what has been said, either, 
(1.) That these consequences may be justified; or, (2.) 
That they are not regularly deduced from the pre- 
mises; or, (3.) That the Christian religion is true, and 
of divine authority. I am persuaded you will not as- 
sume either of the two former of these conclusions: 
the latter therefore forces itself upon you. 

That the Lord may direct you in the way of truth 
and path of life, is the prayer of 

Sir, Yours, &c. 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 53 



LETTER V. 



SOME OF THE INTERNAL EVIDENCES OF CHRISTIANITY CON- 
SIDERED. 

Sir — According to the direction given in your last, 
I shall use the greatest freedom in my answer, and 
laying aside all reserve, shall presume on your can- 
dour. 

You "cannot see," you tell me, " how those argu- 
ments of mine for the truth of Christianity, can ad- 
mit of a rational and consistent answer." How then 
can you be, but " almost persuaded to be a Chris- 
tian?" How can you want " some general and easy 
directions, how to get rid of those doubts, which still 
hang upon your mind, from the various difficulties 
which are continually casting themselves in your 
way?" Do you deal thus with yourself in other cases, 
of infinitely less importance? Do you harass your 
mind with doubts about other things which are clear- 
ly evident to you, only because you meet with some 
difficulties which you cannot readily solve? This 
were the way to downright scepticism, in everything 
which falls under your consideration, whether natu- 
ral or moral. And at this rate you may call into 
question your own being, and all your rational pow- 
ers, as well as every thing you see, hear, or feel. 
For I dare say, there are difficulties enough in any 
or all of these to puzzle the most sagacious philoso- 
pher that ever breathed, and to nonplus the inquiries 
of all the men in the world. 

The question before you is, whether the facts upon 
which the evidence of Christianity depends, are clear- 
ly proved, and necessarily true? If so, there certainly 
must be some way to solve all those difficulties, whe- 
ther you have found out the method to do it or not. 
You should likewise consider, that it is of no import- 
ance to the safety of your soul, whether you are, 



54 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



or are not, capable to obviate all the objections which 
fall in your way; but it is of eternal importance, that 
you build on a sure foundation, and that you believe 
in the only begotten Son of God. This then should 
be your method in the case before you. First, see 
to your foundation; examine thoroughly, seriously, 
and impartially, whether the evidence for the truth 
of Christianity be such that you have reason to be- 
lieve it, and that it would be reasonable not to be- 
lieve it true. And then whatever difficulties may 
occur, do not dig up your foundation, and undermine 
your faith and hope. Do not give your adversary 
the advantage to keep you in a continued suspense, 
lest you live and die an unbeliever; and so have your 
objections removed when it is too late, when your 
conviction will but prove your confusion. I do not 
speak this to deter you from examining the most sub- 
tle objections which the greatest enemies of Chris- 
tianity are able to throw in your way. The cause 
will bear the strictest scrutiny, the severest trial. And 
you can hardly imagine any difficulty, but what has 
been clearly and judiciously resolved by one or other 
of the late defenders of this glorious cause. But are 
you convinced that the arguments to prove the truth 
of Christianity, admit of no rational answer? Take 
then the apostle's advice, in all the further inquiries 
you shall make, to hold fast the beginning of your 
confidence steadfast unto the end. 

This, then, is part of that general advice I would 
give you, that you may get rid of those doubts which 
still hang upon your mind. Follow it, and it will at 
least lessen your difficulties, and may make your way 
plain before you. But this is not the principal direc- 
tion necessary to be taken in this case. It is of spe- 
cial consequence to see to it, that you experience the 
power of Christianity in your own heart. Reject this 
advice, and it is impossible that you should be rooted 
and built up in Christ, and established in the faith. 
But comply with it, and it is impossible that hell and 
earth can finally subvert your faith, and separate be- 
tween Christ and your soul. By this means, this 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 55 

great affair will be no longer with you a matter of 
mere speculation or empty opinion, but convincing 
experience; and nothing but your imperfections and 
temptations can ever make you hesitate about the 
truth of those things which you sensibly and continu- 
ally feel the influence of upon all the powers and fa- 
culties of your mind. By this you will have the wit- 
ness in yourself, a transcript of the gospel upon your 
heart, such a transcript as will answer to the original, 
like as the impress upon the wax to the signet; or as 
a well drawn picture to the lineaments of the face 
from whence it was taken. By this have multitudes 
of souls been established in the faith who have never 
been able critically to examine the external evidence 
upon which Christianity is founded. They have not 
been able to dispute for Christ, but they have dared 
to die for him. They have found the image of God 
imprinted on their souls by the gospel of God our Sa- 
viour: and therefore could not doubt the power of 
that cause which had produced so glorious an effect 
upon them. Make the experiment, Sir, and you will 
be forced to acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ to be 
indeed your Saviour, when you feel that he hath ac- 
tually saved you. 

Let me therefore set before you some of the marks 
given of a real Christian, in the New Testament; 
that when you come to discover the lineaments of 
this divine image upon your soul, you may know the 
cause from the effect. In doing this, I should not 
descend into all the minute particulars of the Chris- 
tian's character: but only set before you a few of the 
most plain and intelligible marks, by which a Chris- 
tian indeed may be distinguished from all others; 
and by which he may most clearly discern that Christ 
is a Saviour indeed. 

And first the most general mark, by which this 
may be known, is, that if any man be in Christ, he is 
a new creature; old things are passed away, behold 
all things are become new. (2 Cor. v. 17.) That he 
is renewed in the spirit of his mind; and that he puts 
on the new man, which after God is created in right- 



56 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



eousness and true holiness. (Eph. iv. 23, 24.) Here 
you may see, is represented a very remarkable and 
distinguishing change of state; a change which may 
be known by those who have had the blessed expe- 
rience; and a change, that has been felt by all those, 
and none but those, who are Christians indeed. — 
Could you then find this blessed effect of your com- 
mitting your soul and your eternal interests into the 
hands of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all the powers, 
passions, and appetites of your soul are renewed, you 
could not doubt the author of the wonderful change. 
You must own it to be from him, that you are brought 
to hate what you before loved, and to love what you 
before hated. Can you help but acknowledge this, 
when you find, that the thoughts and dispositions of 
your mind are new; and the chief subjects of your 
care and meditation are the things unseen and eternal : 
That the desires and affections of your soul are new, 
and placed upon the things that are above, where 
Christ Jesus sits at the right hand of God: that your 
views and apprehensions of yourself are new; and 
your haughty and selfish imaginations are changed 
to a humble and contrite spirit, that trembles at God's 
word: that your confidence and dependence are new; 
and instead of depending upon your good attainments, 
purposes, promises, reformations, or duties, you are 
endeavouring to be found in Christ Jesus, not having 
on your own righteousness which is of the law, but 
that which is through the faith of Christ, the right- 
eousness which is of God by faith. That your joys 
and satisfactions are new; and instead of rejoicing in 
your temporal and sensual acquisitions, you rejoice 
in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. 
That the objects of your love and complacency are 
new; and instead of loving the world and your idols, 
you esteem God's favour to be life, and his loving 
kindness to be better than life; and instead of loving 
the company of worldly and sensual persons, you 
have your only delight and complacency in men of 
serious vital piety ; and have this evidence that you 
are passed from death to life, that yon love the bre- 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 57 

thren. That your appetites and passions are new; and 
instead of those boundless desires you were before 
actuated by, you are brought into a humble subjec- 
tion to the will of God ; and instead of those turbulent 
passions which before had the ascendant, you expe- 
rience the blessed fruits of the Spirit, which are love, 
joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 
meekness, temperance. And to sum up all, that your 
conversation is new; and that you live a life of holi- 
ness towards men endeavouring to fill up every sta- 
tion, relation, and capacity of life with duty; and 
striving to have your whole conversation as becomes 
the gospel of Christ. 

This, Sir, is a brief summary of the true Christian 
character. This is the salvation (in its moral view) 
which our Lord Jesus Christ bestows in this world, 
upon all his sincere followers. No man ever failed 
of obtaining this, who by faith unfeigned brought his 
soul to Christ, and depended upon him, for his sanc- 
tifying renewing influences. 

Now, secondly, another thing which all true Chris- 
tians experience, and none but they, is the spiritual 
warfare. They have a warfare with their remaining 
corruptions. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and 
the Spirit against the flesh, Gal. v. 7. And they see 
another law in their members, warring against the 
law of their minds, in order to bring them into cap- 
tivity to the law of sin and death, Rom. vii. 23. They 
have still so many imperfections remaining in their 
hearts, in their duties, and in their conversations, as 
make them groan, being burthened; and cry out, 
wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from 
the body of this death! When, therefore, you are 
heartily engaged in this war, and feel in yourself that 
you are continually led on to victory, can you doubt, 
who it is that approves himself the captain of your 
salvation? Can you doubt this when you sensibly 
feel in yourself a hatred to all sin, without any re- 
serve, even to those sins which by constitution, or 
custom, are so nearly and intimately united to your 
affections, as to become your members, even a right 

5 



58 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

hand, a right foot, or a right eye ? Can you doubt this, 
when you feel that you even hate vain thoughts ; and 
that the irregularities of your heart and affections, as 
well as of your outward conduct, are matter of your 
continual grief and burthen: what you continually 
watch and pray and strive against? Can you doubt 
this, when it is your constant experience, that there 
is nothing more grievous to you, nothing more con- 
trary to the governing desires of your soul, than the 
prevalence of these corruptions, and the deadness, 
formality, and distractions, which accompany your 
holy duties; and when you experience that it is your 
most ardent and impatient pursuit, to gain further 
victory over the imperfections of your heart and life: 
and to obtain more uninterrupted communion with 
God, in your religious approaches to him ? Or, to sum 
up all in a word, can this be doubted, when (under 
the sharpest conflict, you can meet with from this 
quarter) you are able sincerely to say, that though 
when you would do good, evil is present with you; 
yet you delight in the law of the Lord, after the in- 
ward man ? 

You must, beside this intestine war, have the trial 
of another campaign. You will find enemies from 
without, as well as within, to maintain a continual 
conflict with. - For we wrestle not against flesh and 
blood only, but against principalities, against powers, 
against the rulers of the darkness of this world; 
and against spiritual wickedness in high places, Eph. 
vi. 12. This is what you have probably had no ex- 
perience of. A prisoner in the hands of his enemies, 
led captive by them at their pleasure, has no ac- 
quaintance with the progress of wars and conflicts, 
battles and sieges; makes no attempts for victory and 
triumph: but submits to the injunctions of his con- 
querors; and the more cheerful his submission the 
more ease and comfort he will find. This you must 
acknowledge to be eminently true of such who with- 
out opposition, resign themselves voluntary prisoners 
into their enemies' hands; as all careless and secure 
sinners run into the hands of sin and Satan — but 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



59 



when once persons come to be, in good earnest, en- 
gaged in the cause of Christ, what violent opposition 
do they meet with? What dreadful temptations do 
they often encounter, which carry their own evidence 
with them, from what quarter they come? This I 
warn you of beforehand, that when you come to the 
experience, you may not be discouraged, but estab- 
lished in the faith of that revelation, which you find 
experimentally true. 

How frequently are Christians indeed called into 
this field of battle? How frequently are they assault- 
ed with most violent and impetuous temptations, 
which will follow and hurry them, and sometimes 
foil them, notwithstanding all their good desires, god- 
ly resolutions, and most active endeavours after holi- 
ness? — What horrid and blasphemous thoughts are 
often injected into the minds of such, which though 
the greatest burden and abhorrence of their distressed 
souls, yet follow and haunt them wherever they go, 
and whatever they do, and especially at the seasons 
of their nearest approaches to God ? What doubting 
apprehensions, what subtle, surprising reasonings, 
will be darted into the minds of some, even the most 
established Christians, against the very being of God, 
and the truth of Christianity, notwithstanding their 
highest rational conviction, and fullest satisfaction of 
the truth of these great fundamentals of religion ? — 
What horrible and amazing dispositions and affec- 
tions will seem to arise in the minds of some of the 
most devout and heavenly persons in the world; who 
in the dreadful conflict are sometimes made to roar 
by reason of the disquietness of their hearts? What 
distressing darkness, dejections, and despondings will 
some Christians be exercised with, after clear and 
satisfying-evidences of God's favour, against all the 
comforting considerations which can be proposed; 
and notwithstanding all the former manifestations of 
the love of God to their souls ? And do not these, and 
such like fiery darts of the wicked one, as clearly dis- 
cover the agency of Satan, as if we saw him make 
his attacks in a visible appearance ? 



60 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

I am sensible, that many of these temptations are 
ordinarily imputed to bodily disease, because Satan 
frequently makes the fiercest attacks upon the weak- 
est wall, where there is the greatest prospect of suc- 
cess. But though bodily disorder may expose us to 
darkness of every kind, yet what blasphemy can 
there be in the spleen ? How came infidelity by a 
lodging in the humours of the body ? Or how can any 
disordered temperature of the body produce in the 
mind (contrary to the habitual bent and bias of the 
renewed soul) such fierce, impetuous, and irresistible 
blasphemies against the glorious God, and the bless- 
ed Redeemer of the world? If this be only from bo- 
dily disease, how comes it to pass that many persons 
of vigorous health of body have met with the same 
distressing trials? Herein then the truth of Chris- 
tianity is confirmed by experience, when the Chris- 
tian meets with the very same trials which the Scrip- 
ture forewarns him of: and the fierceness of the com- 
bat may not only establish him in the faith, but 
strengthen his hopes of victory. He sees the divine 
original of the Christian institution, by the enmity 
and opposition of the infernal powers against it. He 
feels the warfare just such as the Scriptures describe: 
and may therefore conclude that he has no tempta- 
tion but what is common to men, and may confide in 
the captain of his salvation, that he is leading him on 
to victory. 

Thirdly. Another instance, wherein the truth of 
Christianity is brought to be a matter of sensible ex- 
perience, is the comfort, peace, and joy of a religious 
life. Our blessed Lord has told us, that his yoke is 
easy and his burthen light, Mat. xi. 30. Peace he 
leaves with his disciples, his peace he gives unto them, 
and this in a manner which the world cannot give, 
John xiv. 27. And the apostle represents Christians 
as rejoicing in Christ Jesus, without confidence in the 
flesh, Phil. iii. 3, and as having the love of God shed 
abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost, who is given 
unto them, Rom. v. 5. Now what doubt can remain 
in the heart of a Christian, of the truth and faithful- 



FAMILIAR LETTER 



61 



ness of these promises, when he feels them actually- 
fulfilled unto him; when he sensibly feels that Christ 
doth not leave him comfortless, but manifests himself 
to him, so as he doth not unto the world ; when he 
joyfully feels the Spirit of God witnessing with his 
spirit, that he is a child of God ! 

You may perhaps esteem this to be all cant and 
delusion, enthusiasm or heated imagination: but is it 
reasonable in a man that was born blind to conclude, 
that because he himself hasno ideaof light and colours, 
therefore no man ever saw the sun; and that all pre- 
tences of delight from the beautiful appearances of 
the creation, are mere chicanery and deceit ? 

I hope, Sir, you will quickly be led forward by the 
Spirit of God into these blessed paths of joy and peace : 
and then you will need no other arguments to convince 
you of these glorious truths, than your own happy 
experience. Then with surprising delight, you will 
be able to feel the exercise of faith in the Son of God ; 
and to apply the gracious promise, that him who 
comes to Christ, he will in no wise cast out. Then 
you will feel a most humbling and soul-abasing sense 
of your own vileness and unworthiness; and with 
sacred rapture admire, adore and praise the riches of 
that sovereign grace by which you are plucked out 
of the hands of sin and infidelity, and out of the jaws 
of death and hell ; and become accepted in the be- 
loved. Then a ray of (before unexperienced) light 
will break into your soul, and give you such a spirit- 
ual view of the divine perfections, as you never before 
had; such a discovery of redeeming love, as will fill 
you with wonder and praise. Then the world with 
all its empty pageantry will vanish out of sight; and 
you will be no longer emulous of the riches and gran- 
deur of the greatest men in the world ; nor of the plea- 
sures of the most sensual epicure. Your soul will 
then be solaced with more pure and substantial joys, 
with delights more answerable to its desires, and more 
satisfying to its taste, than it is possible it should find 
from any of the vain amusements of time and sense. 
Then you will obtain such a sensible and affecting dis- 



62 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

covery of the future glory,as will put your soul upon 
the wing ; and excite your most ardent desires after the 
more intimate and eternal enjoyment of that blessed 
hope. In a word, then the light will shine out of 
darkness, and give you the light of the knowledge of 
the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. And if 
you are favoured with this delightful view, when you 
come to encounter the king of terrors, you will be 
able to stand the shock with courage, with comfort, 
and joy (as I have seen many do) from a delightful 
prospect of your future inheritance ; and breathe out 
your last breath with that triumphant song — death, 
where is thy sting ! grave, where is thy victory! 

It is true, this is not always the happy frame of 
every sincere Christian. We are here in a militant 
state, and must often meet with sore conflicts from 
our spiritual enemies, as was before observed: but 
when these more exalted joys and comforts are want- 
ing, believers have yet meat to eat which the world 
knows not of. The promises will still prove an an- 
chor for their souls, to keep them sure and steadfast, 
in the most tempestous season. They will find de- 
light and comfort from the ordinances of God ; and at 
least find occasional returns of sensible communion 
with him, which will make them rejoice more than 
when corn and wine and oil increase. And often in 
the midst of their greatest darkness, they will have 
sudden and surprising gleams of light and joy break 
into their souls, by which they will, before they are 
aware, become like the chariots of Amminadib. At 
least they will be able to look unto Jesus as the author 
and finisher of their faith ; and comfort themselves by 
committing their souls to him, and venturing their 
eternal interests in his hand. 

The Scriptures speak much of these feelings of the 
Spirit, the earnest of our future inheritance. The 
Spirit of God helps his children to sensible experience 
of their undoubted truth and reality; whereby they 
are established in the faith, strengthened for their 
spiritual encounters, and supported, under all the dif- 
ficulties and trials they meet with, in their way to 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 63 

the future inheritance. How light soever you may- 
make of what has been said, I hope, Sir, you will live 
to rejoice in the delightful experience, as thousands 
of others have done ; and thereby find occasion to 
say with them, we are witnesses of these things, and 
so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to 
them that obey him. 

Fourthly. I may yet add another instance wherein 
the truth of Christianity is made matter of experience, 
which is the manner in which the great change is 
wrought and carried on in the heart of every sincere 
Christian. There is, I confess, a vast difference with 
respect to a variety of incidental circumstances, in the 
methods of the divine operation, in turning sinners 
from the power of Satan to God : and yet the Scripture 
account of this change, as to the substance of it, is 
always found to be exactly verified in all those, who, 
at adult years, are the happy subjects of God's con- 
verting grace. This has been continually confirmed, 
by the blessed experience of the children of God, in 
all the successive ages of the church. 

How agreeably are we surprised to see a careless 
and secure simmer, who was going on in the pursuit 
of his lusts, hardened against all the solemn warn- 
ings which he had continually received from the word 
and ordinances and providences of God; and deaf to 
all the pathetic. admonitions of his godly friends; to 
see such an one, I say, at once, by some ordinary pas- 
sage in a sermon, in a book, or in conversation, tho- 
roughly awakened out of his security, and put upon 
a serious and lasting inquiry, What he should do to 
be saved. His conscience can no more now, as at 
other times, wear off the impression; nor dare he re- 
turn to his mirth and jollity, to his sensual and world- 
ly pursuits — he can no more speak peace to his soul, 
from his general hopes or his good designs; nor rest in 
any thing short of an interest in Christ. Thus we see 
the promise verified, that Christ would send the Com- 
forter to convince the world of sin; and find it most 
evidently true, that the word of God is quick and 
powerful, sharper than any two edged sword. We 



64 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

see a change made, that no means, no endeavours 
could ever effect till a divine power was exerted to 
bring it about. 

How constantly does the thoroughly awakened sin- 
ner, find, by experience, the deficiency of all his legal 
attempts to quiet his conscience, and to establish his 
hopes of the favour of God ? He sees his sins too 
great and numerous to be expiated by his imperfect 
performances. He feels his corrupt affections, appe- 
tites, and passions, too strong for his good purposes 
and resolutions. He is deeply sensible of so much 
defect and impurity in the best of his religious duties, 
as render them utterly unworthy the acceptance of an 
infinitely pure and holy God. He feels his heart so 
hard, and his affections so dead and carnal, that no- 
thing but an Almighty power can quicken them. He 
knows by experience that he needs mercy, and that 
all his own refuges, and all endeavours in his own 
strength to relieve his distressed soul, are fruitless and 
vain. He finds it indeed the case of fallen man, that 
nothing but coming to Christ, with faith in him, and 
dependence upon him for righteousness and strength, 
can give rest to his labouring and weary soul. True 
it is, there are some convinced sinners that wear off 
their religious impresssions, and stop short of these 
effects which I have now described: but these con- 
sequences are always found in all thpse whose con- 
victions are abiding and effectual. By these they are 
always constrained to fly for refuge to Christ, and 
look to him for that life and peace which they can 
find no where else. You will readily allow that my 
station gives me the advantage of a particular 
acquaintance with the circumstances of distressed 
souls: and having conversed with very many under 
convictions, from time to time, I have always found 
the above observations exactly verified. 

How surprising is the change made in convicted 
sinners, when a ray of divine light shines into their 
souls, and enables them to act faith in Christ, and to 
behold the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ! 
Now these mourners in Zion have appointed unto 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 65 

them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, 
and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, 
that they may be called Trees of Righteousness. 
From this time, they become indeed new creatures in 
all spiritual respects. Their discovery of the excel- 
lency and sufficiency of Christ, whereby they are en- 
abled cheerfully to trust their eternal interests in his 
hands, proves a continued source of love to God and 
man, and a principle that constantly inclines them to 
live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present 
world. We see this experimentally true, as the Scrip- 
tures represent it, that their faith works by love, pu- 
rifies their hearts, and overcomes the world. There 
are indeed some hypocritical pretenders to faith in 
Christ, in whom we do not find these fruits and ef- 
fects of it: but then there are (through the goodness 
of God) numbers of others, the tenor of whose future 
lives fully evidences that their faith is sincere ; and 
that it produces all the effects which the Scriptures 
ascribe to it. 

There is no room to impute this work to the irreg- 
ular sallies of an over-heated imagination, when we 
see a thorough and lasting change both of heart and 
life. There is no room to suppose, that enthusiasm 
or fanaticism can have any hand in this change when 
we see the blessed effects of faith in Christ every way 
answers the description given thereof in the gospel; 
and when the believer visibly and in reality is become 
a new man, from the time of his receiving and relying 
upon the Lord Jesus Christ for righteousness and 
strength. 

And as bad as times are, as stupid and unbelieving 
as the world in general appear, we have yet repeated 
examples of the blessed effects of faith, which I have 
now described; and of the verification of that pre- 
cious truth, that to as many as receive the Lord Jesus 
Christ, to them is given power to become the children 
of God, even to them who believe in his name. 

And now, Sir, if you will review what has been 
said, does it not evidently appear,that he who believ- 
eth on the Son of God, hath the witness in himself. 



66 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

when he finds the same change of heart, the same 
spiritual conflicts, the same joy, peace and comfort of 
soul, and all these wrought in the very same way and 
method, which the Scriptures so plainly and particu- 
larly describe ? Can I doubt of the skill of that phy- 
sician, or the efficacy of that medicine, whereby I am 
recovered from a dangerous disease, to health and 
comfort, exactly in the same method, and by the same 
sensible and progressive steps, as was foretold me ? 

And is not this truth made most clearly evident, 
not only to the persons themselves, but to all diligent 
observers, when you find the same experiences re- 
ported by all true believers in Christ, and all the same 
external and visible effects of their faith, conspicuous 
and open to every one's observation, not in one or 
two instances only, but in thousands of those who 
profess to have had these experiences ? As we must 
necessarily acknowledge the skill of that physician, 
who effectually cures all that submit to his directions 
and applications : so we are constrained to acknow- 
ledge him for our Saviour, who in the very same way 
and manner, which he has proposed and promised, 
does actually and effectually save all those who be- 
lieve in him, and in the way of his appointments trust 
to him for salvation. 

In my former letters, I have laid before you some 
of the external evidences of Christianity : In this I 
have given you a brief sketch of those internal evi- 
dences which serve to confirm and illustrate the same 
important cause. By the former, the truth of the 
Christian religion is laid open to the understanding : 
by the latter, it is made matter of sensible experience 
to the heart. That the glorious Redeemer may ena- 
ble you to feel the force of this reasoning, to your un- 
speakable comfort here and happiness hereafter, is 
the prayer of 

Sir, Yours, &c. 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 67 



LETTER VI. 

SOME OBJECTIONS AGAINST THE INTERNAL EVIDENCES OF 
CHRISTIANITY CONSIDERED AND ANSWERED. 

Sir — I do not wonder to find you prejudiced against 
" the extravagant claim to extraordinary experiences 
in religion, lately made by some who are evidently 
under enthusiastic heats and delusions." But I can- 
not see any force at all in your reasoning, that " Be- 
cause there are many eminent professors of late, who 
really have nothing in them but heat and show, and 
yet make as high pretensions to the divine influences, 
and to special experience of the operations of the 
Spirit of God in their hearts, as any others can do ; 
therefore all pretences of that kind may justly be sus- 
pected to flow from the same cause and to be the 
offspring of a like irregular fancy, and heated imagi- 
nation. " 

Do you indeed think it just arguing, because some 
men make vain and false shows of what they really 
are not, that therefore all other professors of religion 
are hypocrites, as well as they? Will it follow, be- 
cause some men pretend to literature which they 
have not, therefore there are no men of learning in 
the world? Your discovery of false pretenders to reli- 
gious experiences, does indeed give you just reason 
to presume, that some others may, but no reason to 
conclude, that all others must, in the same manner 
impose upon the world, by mere delusive appearan- 
ces. If you have discovered any to be false and de- 
ceitful in their profession of religious experiences, it 
must be because you see something in their conduct 
which contradicts their profession. But what reason 
does this give you, to suspect those in whose conduct 
you see nothing which contradicts their profession. 
If you have reason to conclude the hypocrisv of the 
former sort, from the evidences which appear against 
them; you have also reason to conclude the sincerity 
of the latter sort, from the evidences which appear in 



68 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



their favour, and which testify the reality of the 
change they profess. If you have ground to suspect 
the careless, the loose, the sensual professor, because 
he is such; by the same way of reasoning, you have 
ground to conclude in favour of the serious, the watch- 
ful, and mortified professor of religion, because he is 
such. If the licentious and profane, the fraudulent 
and unjust, the censorious and uncharitable, the des- 
pisers and calumniators of their brethren, are there- 
fore to be suspected of false pretences to the divine 
influences; by the same arguments, they who are so 
changed as to become remarkably holy and righteous, 
meek and humble, charitable, benevolent, and bene- 
ficent, have a just claim to be esteemed sincere, and 
be credited in their profession of religious experi- 
ences. There are (through the mercy of God) num- 
bers of such yet among us, all of whom have this 
change in its visible effects obvious to the world: and 
though some of them may be doubtful of their own 
state, yet all of them declare, that they have received 
all their attainments from the Lord Jesus Christ; they 
have looked to him, and depended upon him' for them 
all; and have always found, that their progress in 
piety towards God, and in justice, kindness, and cha- 
rity towards men, has borne proportion to their cheer- 
ful dependence upon Christ for righteousness and 
strength. If some men are liars, yet, others are cre- 
dible and may be trusted, especially when they give 
us undoubted evidence of their truth and fidelity. 
Even so in the present case, if some men are hypo- 
crites, and evidence themselves to be such, we have 
no reason from thence to suspect the truth of others' 
profession and experiences, whose wonderful change 
of life, and whose future conversation, are a continual 
testimony to the sincerity of the profession they make, 
and to the credibility of the experiences which they 
relate. 

But it seems you are especially prejudiced against 
religious experiences, by the " irregular fancy and 
heated imagination" which you have observed in 
some pretenders to extraordinary attainments in re- 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 69 

ligion; from whence you seem to argue, that because 
some of their "pretended experiences are extrava- 
gant flights of a disturbed brain, and evidently flow 
from pride, self-esteem, and uncharitableness towards 
others, and end in faction, division, and alienation of 
affection," that therefore, since some of their pre- 
tences are manifestly false and airy imaginations, you 
have just reasons to conclude that all the rest of their 
pretences are of the same sort, and flow from the 
same depraved mind. 

I acknowledge, Sir, this is one of the most plausi- 
ble objections, that ever I have heard of, against the 
internal evidences of Christianity. And, no doubt, 
our grand adversary, the devil, has had an especial 
hand in blowing up that false fire, that he may turn 
away our eyes from the glory of the Lord arisen up- 
on Zion. No doubt, Satan hath transformed himself 
into an angel of light, in the late extravagant heats 
which have appeared in some places, that so, by 
over-doing, he might undo, and might bring reproach 
on the wonderful work of divine grace, which has 
made such a glorious progress in these parts of the 
world. A permission of these dreadful delusions may 
be esteemed a just judgment of God upon such as 
have remained careless and secure in a remarkable 
season of grace, who have resisted the calls of the 
gospel, the convictions of their consciences, and the 
strivings of the Holy Spirit, that they might thereby 
be hardened in their prejudices against vital and ex- 
perimental religion, and perhaps finally stumble and 
fall. 

But how plausible soever your objection may be, 
your reasoning is far from conclusive. What incon- 
sistency is there in the supposition, that a true convert 
may have some very false apprehensions and ima- 
ginations? That the same person may have a sanc- 
tified heart, and a confused head? And that he may 
build upon the true foundation, such wood, hay, and 
stubble, as must be burned up? Our blessed Saviour 
has undertaken to sanctify the hearts of all those who 
sincerely trust in him: but has never promised to 



70 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



make them infallible in all their conduct. If, there- 
fore, from a principle of love to God, these men 
should zealously endeavour to serve him, and yet, 
through heated imaginations, or erroneous apprehen- 
sions of their duty, in some cases, they should mis- 
take their way, and suppose that they are doing God 
good service when they are acting counter to the 
true interests of Christ's kingdom. What then? Is it 
any absurdity to suppose they may act from a right 
principle, though in a wrong manner? The error is 
in their opinions, but not in their wills. Their hearts 
are engaged in God's service, though their heads mis- 
lead them. They may have experienced a real 
change (in the manner described in my last letter) 
though through ignorance and mistake their endea- 
vours to serve God are in some instances irregular and 
sinful. They may have had real experiences in true 
and vital piety, though at present their imaginations 
are imposed on by enthusiasm and delusion. These 
allowances may be made, and ought to be made, for 
those who hold fast the fundamental principles of 
Christianity, and practical godliness; and for none but 
those. There ought to be such allowances made for 
those, because there is nothing in their character in- 
consistent with true and vital piety: yet there ought 
not to be such allowances made for any but those; 
because Christ has undertaken to lead his sincere 
followers into all necessary truth. I think I have 
good reason to conclude, that the case is truly, and in 
fact, just as I have here described it, with respect to 
numbers of those who have run into some of those 
irregularities you complain of. This appears, in that 
some of those who have been convinced of and peni- 
tently bewailed those mistakes, do yet, (their former 
irregularities notwithstanding) walk worthy their 
professed experience of a saving change, and approve 
themselves holy, humble, and charitable Christians. 
And I have the more hopes of others, who have not 
yet been convinced of their mistakes, upon account of 
their having been seduced into these errors, by such 
zealous leaders, of whose piety they have so great an 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 71 

opinion. But you will, perhaps, inquire, what I can 
say for those leaders who have influenced others to 
these irregular heats? To which I must answer, that 
as far as I am acquainted with them, I have reason 
for a much better opinion of the hearts of some of 
them, than of their heads; and must bear them wit- 
ness, that they have a zeal for God, though not in 
every thing according to knowledge. 

But supposing, as you suppose, that some of the 
chief of these preachers were very wicked men, who 
cloaked their evil intentions under a show of Zealand 
extraordinary piety, the better to ensnare poor un- 
wary souls into their delusions, to promote divisions 
and contentions in the land, and to compass their 
covert designs: My argument is, on this supposition, so 
much the stronger. Herein the power and love of 
the great Redeemer are so much the more con- 
spicuous, that he has out-shot Satan with his own 
bow; and over-ruled those attempts, for the promo- 
tion of his own kingdom and interest, which were 
levelled against it. — Nothing is more visible, than that 
great numbers of poor sinners have been awakened; 
and brought to fly to Christ for refuge. Nothing is 
more apparent, than that the consequence of this has 
(in numerous instances) been the renovation of their 
lives and conversation, from a careless, sinful, sensual 
life, to a life of holiness, righteousness, kindness, and 
charity. In these, therefore, the grace of our Lord 
Jesus Christ is become glorious; whatever covert de- 
signs any of the instruments were actuated by. If these 
preached Christ even of envy and strife, What then ? 
notwithstanding every way whether in pretence or 
in truth, Christ was preached; I therein do rejoice, 
yea, and will rejoice. — It is remarkable, that the doc- 
trines of the gospel, particularly touching the misery 
of our natural state, the necessity of an interest in 
Christ, and the way of salvation by faith in him, 
were preached by them all (whatever human imagi- 
nations were mixed with them) and these had their 
effect in a peculiar manner. Our blessed Saviour has 
therein blessed his own institutions; and accomplished 



72 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

the designs of his grace, whoever and whatever were 
the instruments, by whom these glorious effects have 
been produced. -As far, therefore, as a sanctifying 
change in the hearts and lives of men has been 
effected, so far must we acknowledge this to be a 
work of God ; and a display of the divine power of 
our blessed Saviour. The miracles of divine grace, 
which might be wrought by Judas, were as bright a 
discovery of the Redeemer's power and goodness, 
as those were which were wrought by the other 
apostles. 

But you tell me, that "many of these new converts 
pretend to mighty experiences of divine impulses, 
raptures, ecstacies, and the like : But show forth no 
moral virtues, nor true love either to God or man." 
Well, sir, what follows from this ? Are there not 
many others, who make no pretension to such mighty 
experiences of divine impulses, raptures, &c, that do 
show forth all moral virtues; and have a true love 
both to God and man? Is it a good argument, that 
because there are some mere enthusiasts, who pre- 
tend to such experiences which the Scriptures do not 
make the character of true Christians, therefore they 
are all mere enthusiasts, who even pretend to such 
experiences as the Scriptures do make the character 
of all true Christians? What is Christianity con- 
cerned with the ecstacies and heats of such men as 
you speak of? Where are these ecstatical heats 
described In the gospel, as the marks of the children 
of God ? Be their experiences allowed to be accord- 
ing to their pretences, what follows from thence, but 
that if they have no moral virtues, these men's re- 
ligion is vain; it is all enthusiastical, unscriptural and 
without foundation ? But then on the other hand, 
the experiences which I have before described, are 
such as the Scriptures do make the marks and cha- 
racters of the children of God : and many there are, 
that make no pretences to divine impulses, raptures, 
or ecstacies, who profess to have had these experi- 
ences, and justify their profession, by living in the 
love both of God and man. Now, I pray, how are 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 73 

such concerned in the enthusiasm, of which you 
complain? Do not the experiences of these witness 
for them, as much as the experiences of the other 
witness against them? Here is a visible and effectual 
change wrought in them (just such a change as the 
Scriptures describe) by which they are brought into 
a conformity to the divine Nature, and live worthy of 
their profession and character. — Christ has promised 
the sanctification of the Spirit to his people, who de- 
pend upon him for it : and what greater evidence 
can there be of the faithfulness of the promise, than 
to see and feel its accomplishment? 

But you further observe, that " the demeanour of 
many of these pretenders to religious experiences, 
is directly contrary to that morality, beneficence and 
charity, which are the ornament and glory of human 
nature." And is not this a strong confirmation of 
my argument ? I appeal to you yourself, Sir, whether 
you are not acquainted with many others, that pre- 
tend to the religious experiences which I have de- 
scribed, who are the brightest patterns of those graces 
and virtues, which are the ornament and glory of 
human nature. Here then is a plain and visible 
criterion, by which it may be known whose expe- 
riences are, and whose are not, from the Spirit of 
God. 

" They are," you say, " indeed converted, but it is 
to pride and vanity, to self-esteem and self-applause." 
But are there not many others, who are converted to 
deep humility, self-loathing, and self-condemning? 

"They are changed," you say, "but it is to bitter- 
ness, reviling, censuring, and judging their neigh- 
bours, who are much better than they." I allow 
this charge to be agreeable to their pretended expe- 
riences: But then, do not you see (blessed be God, I 
am sure I have seen) many others changed to meek- 
ness, kindness, and love, and brought to esteem others 
much better than themselves? 

"Their boasted experiences," you add, "only ani- 
mate them to divisions, factions, and separations." 
But is this the case of all, who make a profession of 

6 



74 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



religious experiences? No: we have cause to be 
thankful it is quite otherwise. 

u They are," you say, " often elated with rapturous 
joys and exultation, which seem to be the product of 
nothing but self-esteem, and an irregular heated ima- 
gination." Here you inquire, " Must I esteem these 
to be the joy of the Holy Ghost, of which your last 
letter speaks ? If not, how shall I know, that all pre- 
tences of this kind are not equally fictitious and ima- 
ginary?" This (I confess) deserves some attention. 
For perhaps no one thing has raised such prejudices 
in the minds of men against spiritual and religious 
experiences, as those airy raptures and causeless ex- 
ultation, that in some instances have been seen of late. 

I would therefore observe to you, that your own 
representation of those joyful transports, of which you 
compiain, is sufficient to distinguish them from those 
joys of the Holy Ghost, of which I wrote to you. 
You rightly observe, that these false raptures are the 
product of an excited imagination. But you have no 
room to conclude this to be the case with respect to 
those spiritual joys and comforts, of which I wrote in 
my last. I have known a wretched despicable beg- 
gar, covered with rags and vermin, who imagined, 
himself a king's son, and expected to be treated ac- 
cordingly: but how vain and ludicrous soever his 
imaginations were, I never thought it an argument, 
that there are no king's sons in the world. He might 
probably entertain more transporting apprehensions 
of his imagined royalty, than they who really possess 
that dignity, which he so vainly pretended to. But 
must these latter be rejected' as vain pretenders, be- 
cause of the crazed imagination of such a miserable 
vagrant! 

To apply this to the present case, I really allow, 
that all those joys and comforts which flow from 
imagination only, are always airy and chimerical, 
false and delusive. Thus, for instance, some will re- 
joice and triumph, from only imagining themselves 
favourites of heaven; some from being able to paint 
upon their imaginations the miracles, sufferings, re- 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



75 



surrection, or ascension of Christ; some from an ima- 
ginary idea of the final appearing of Christ, and their 
own future glory, and the like: yet all this while the 
poor souls forget that there is one thing wanting, in 
order to make their joys reasonable and substantial; 
and that is good evidence of their interest in that Sa- 
viour, and his glorious salvation, of which they en- 
tertain such pleasing imaginations. They who have 
this evidence (in the manner described in my last) 
have a substantial foundation of comfort and joy, from 
having that salvation actually begun in their souls, 
which is the pledge and earnest of their eternal inhe- 
ritance: while the others are like to find themselves 
as much deluded in their expectations of future hap- 
piness, as they are in the foundation of their hopes. 

You further represent these rapturous joys to be 
the effect of self-esteem. And I readily acknowledge, 
that where it is so, it is always deceitful and vain. 
The divine influences are always humbling to the 
soul which enjoys them. They therefore are horribly 
profane who impute their own pride and vanity to 
the Spirit of God: and consequently they are miserably 
deceiving themselves, whose joy and comfort flow 
from an high opinion of their imaginary attainments 
in religion. They are a smoke in God's nostrils, who 
are saying, stand by thyself, come not nigh me, for I 
am holier than thou. But then on the contrary, when 
the humble soul is lying at God's feet, self-abasing 
and self-condemning, adoring the infinite riches of 
God's free grace to such a vile, worthless worm ; and 
rejoicing in Jesus Christ without confidence in the 
flesh; these blessed effects are worthy the Spirit of 
God, by whom they are wrought. And it is always 
true, that the believer's sense of his own vileness, 
pollution and unworthiness, bears proportion to his 
joyful evidences of the divine favour. 

You further object against the false pretenders you 
mention, that "their conduct does not justify their 
joyful assurance." This is indeed a good evidence 
against their high pretences to extraordinary attain- 
ments in religion. For I believe every Christian does 



76 



AMILIAR LETTERS 



certainly make the same progress in holiness as he 
does in well-grounded comfort and joy. The objec- 
tion therefore can no ways effect those with whom 
this is an experienced truth; who always find that 
their hope and joy quicken them in their spiritual 
course, invigorate their duties, and enlarge their de- 
sires and endeavours after a conformity to the whole 
will of God. 

I must now leave this matter to your own reflec- 
tions; you yourself must judge of the validity of your 
exceptions. Compare the picture you have drawn of 
some empty, enthusiastical pretenders to religious ex- 
periences, with the description I have given you of 
those, who have indeed experienced the divine life ; 
and Consider whether there be any real similitude, in 
any marks and lineaments of their countenances. In 
those are found pride and petulance : but in these, hu- 
mility and self-abasement. In those, censoriousness 
and uncharitableness are the distinguishing charac- 
ters : in these, a charitable preferring others to them- 
selves. There you see schism, contention and faction : 
here, kindness, peace and brotherly love. There 
imaginary impulse, but here the word of God alone, 
is considered as the rule of life. There, joy and com- 
fort are considered as the evidence of a good state: 
here, they are considered as the fruit of good evidence 
of faith in Christ, and of a renewed nature. There, 
religion is supposed to consist in rapture and ecstasy: 
here, in spiritual affections and in a heavenly conver- 
sation. There, we find men building their hope and 
comfort upon their imaginary attainments: but here, 
we find them making Christ Jesus their only refuge 
and hope. And to sum up all in a word, there are 
high pretences to religious experience without the 
fruits of holiness : but here, the happy effects of this 
change appear in the heart and life; and justify the 
profession to be true, and the experiences to be indeed 
what they are pretended to be. 

Upon the whole, there is nothing more certain, 
than that the Scriptures represent what I have set 
before you, as the real characters of the children of 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



77 



God. It is equally certain, that as w an actual ex- 
perience of the renewing change is, from the nature 
of things, absolutely necessary to salvation, so a sense 
of this change wrought in us is requisite to true 
peace and comfort, and there can be nothing but a 
want of due attention to this experience, or ignorance 
of the quality of that change they have sensibly ex- 
perienced, which keeps believers in darkness and 
doubts about their state. — The subjects of this work 
can therefore have no greater evidence that it is from 
God, than sensibly to feel that it every way answers 
the original description. What greater evidence can 
they have of the truth of the gospel, than a sensible 
experience of the reality of its doctrines, and the 
truth of its promises, by this wonderful work of grace 
in their own hearts, which so visibly carries the 
divine signature both in its operation and effects; and 
is so manifestly distinguished from all false appear- 
ances and pretences? For my own part, I cannot but 
look upon the irregular heats, you speak of, as afford- 
ing some convincing evidence in favour of the cause 
I am pleading. These things are foretold in the Scrip- 
tures. By these things Satan is endeavouring to 
support his own kingdom, as we may reasonably 
expect he would do. He knows, that he is most 
likely to play the surest game, when he transforms 
himself into an angel of light. And these false ap- 
pearances serve for a foil, to discover the greater 
lustre in a true and real work of divine grace. 

The only objection against all this, which I can 
foresee, is, that the persons I am characterizing, exist 
no where, save in my descriptions of them. But I 
need add no more to what I have said upon this 
already, than my attestation, that I have the comfort 
of an inward and intimate acquaintance with con- 
siderable numbers of such as those whom I have 
described. And if you, Sir, would seek out such for 
your chosen companions, your objections would die of 
themselves; and the argument I have insisted upon, 
would appear in its proper light and strength. 

I know not what more can be needful to be added 



78 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

upon this subject, but my hearty prayers, that the 
Spirit of Truth would lead us both into all truth; and 
that we may know by sensible experience what is 
the hope of Christ's calling, and what the riches of 
the glory of his inheritance in the saints; which has 
been justly, though but weakly and very imperfectly 
represented in these letters from, 

Sir, Yours, &c. 



LETTER VII. 



THE DOCTRINE OF GODS SOVEREIGN GRACE VINDICATED ; AND 
SOME EXCEPTIONS AGAINST IT CONSIDERED AND ANSWERED. 

Sir— You cannot imagine how much comfort you 
have ministered to me by your last: I greatly rejoice 
to hear, that "the more strictly you' examine the 
cause, the greater evidence you find of the undoubted 
truth and certanity of the Christian religion :" But 
that "you are filled with confusion, to think how long 
you have lived at a distance from that blessed Sa- 
viour, who has wrought out such a glorious redemp- 
tion for us." And I am not at all surprised to 
hear you complain, that " you cannot entertain clear 
apprehensions of my discourse of experimental re- 
ligion:" That though your last objections are silenced, 
there are others which fill your mind with greater 
difficulty, and are of much greater importance if I 
have given you a just view of the case." And " that 
you cannot tell how you can ever be brought to a 
feeling sense of the doctrines of sovereign grace, 
which I so much insist on, while they appear to you 
so inconsistent with truth, and so unreasonable." I 
am not, I say, surprised at this; for we are naturally 
prejudiced against these doctrines; and are not easily 
Drought to receive them, by reason of the strong bias 
there is upon our minds to the contrary principles. I 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



79 



shall then endeavour to consider your several objec- 
tions; and how strong and plausible soever they 
may appear, I do not despair of giving you satisfac- 
tion. 

You object, that "if we are of ourselves capable of 
no qualifying conditions of the divine favour, or (to 
use my own words) if we must feel that we depend on 
mere mercy, and that all our own refuges, and all our 
endeavours in our own strength to relieve our dis- 
tressed souls, are fruitless and vain, you cannot tell 
to what purpose any of our endeavours are ; or what 
good it will do us to use any means at all for our 
salvation. 

In order to a clear solution of this difficulty, it 
seems needful to convince you, that this lost, impo- 
tent, deplorable state is the case in fact, of every 
unrenewed sinner, whatever objections we may 
frame in our minds against it: and therefore it is 
necessary, that he should sensibly perceive the case 
to be as it truly is. And then, it will be proper to 
show you, that the consequence you draw from this 
doctrine is unjust; and even directly contrary to the 
improvement you ought to make of it. 

I begin with the first of these ; and shall endea- 
vour to convince you, that man is indeed in such a lost 
and helpless state, that he depends on mere mercy; 
and cannot bring himself into a claim to the divine 
favour, by any power or ability of his own. I shall 
not run into the scholastic controversies and subtle 
distinctions, with which this doctrine hasbeen clouded 
by many of our wrangling disputers: but shall en- 
deavour to set it in the most plain, easy, and prac- 
tical light, that I am able. 

I think, you must readily grant, that you cannot 
make an atonement for your sins, by any perform- 
ances within your power. You are, Sir, to consider 
yourself as a sinner, as a criminal and delinquent in 
the sight of God. Your nature is corrupt anddefiled. 
Your actual transgressions of the law of God have 
been very numerous ; and perhaps some of them 
attended with special aggravations. All your sins 



80 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



are directly repugnant to the perfections of the Divine 
nature; and consequently offensive to a pure and 
holy God. And what greatly increases the difficulty 
and danger of your case, is, that you are still con- 
tinuing to act contrary to God in all you do, while 
your nature is unrenewed; and while you are with- 
out a principle of love to God. I am sure you will 
pardon this freedom ; for it is necessary you should 
know the disease, in order to the cure. Judge then 
yourself, whether it can be supposed, that an omnis- 
cient heart-searching God can be pleased with any, 
even the most devout of your overt actions, when he 
knows that your heart is estranged from him, and 
your nature has no conformity to .him; but your 
affections are glued to your several idols. How 
then can you be reconciled to God, by virtue of your 
own performances and attainments ? Can you pay 
ten thousand talents with less than nothing ? Can 
you please God by offending^ him, as you do by the 
obliquity of all your duties, the defects of your best 
devotions, and the sinful affections from whence they 
all flow? Or can you have those unworthy thoughts 
of an infinite, unchangeable God, as to hope you can 
make such impressions upon his affections, by ac- 
knowledging your offences, and imploring his mercy, 
as to excite his compassion and sympathy; and to 
make your impure and unholy nature agreeable to 
his infinite purity and holiness? Can your insincere 
and hypocritical duties (for such they are all at best, 
while they proceed from an unsanctified heart,) bring 
the glorious God to take complacency in what is 
directly contrary to his own nature ? You cannot 
but see, that these proposals are most unreasonable 
and absurd. One of these things must certainly be 
true; either, first, that you have naturally, whilst in 
an unrenewed state, a principle of holiness, and love 
to God: or, secondly, that works flowing from an 
impure fountain, and from a principle of opposition 
and alienation to God, are yet pleasing to God, will 
serve to appease him, and will entitle you to his 
favour: or, thirdly, that you cannot, by any thing 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



81 



you do, have a claim to God's favour, till your nature 
is renewed, and you can act from a principle of holi- 
ness and love to God. I think every man's expe- 
rience will confute the first of these, who gives any 
attention at all to the natural dispositions of his own 
soul. The second is altogether inconsistent both with 
the nature of tilings, and with the nature of an in- 
finitely pure and holy God: and, therefore; the third 
is necessarily true. It will not at all help the case, 
to allege in bar of what is here said, that Christ 
Jesus has made an atonement for us. For what is 
that to you, while you remain without an interest in 
him ? Did Christ purchase for you a capacity to 
make an atonement for yourself? Did he die, that 
God might be pleased with what is contrary to his 
own nature, and pacified with such duties as can 
be no better than impure streams from a corrupt 
fountain? 

Let reason sit judge in the case before us ; and you 
must allow your case to be as I have described it. 
And it is equally evident, that you have no power to 
change your own heart, and to produce in yourself a 
new principle of love to God and conformity to him, 
by any endeavours of your own. It is evident from 
what has already been said, that our hearts and affec- 
tions must be renewed and sanctified, before either 
our persons or services can be acceptable in the sight 
of God. And which way can this be compassed? If 
you take up resolutions, these will no longer stand 
you in stead, than the principle of fear, from which 
they proceed, is kept in action. If you execute these 
resolutions in some external reformations, this is but 
lopping off the branches, while the stock and the root 
of the tree are still alive; the affections and dispositions 
of the soul 'being still the same. , If by fear, or other 
selfish motive, you somethingrestrain the present more 
sensible exercise of your sinful appetites or passions, 
this is but damming up the stream, and forcing it into 
another channel; pull down the dam, and it will run 
where it did before. Certain it is, that every man 
naturally loves the world and the things of the worlds 



82 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



the objects of his sensual appetites ; and loves his 
lusts and idols more than God : and it is equally cer- 
tain, that whatever restraints he may sometimes put 
upon these dispositions, an omniscient eye beholds 
the same principle in him notwithstanding : and 
consequently he can never please God, till there be 
in this respect a real and thorough change wrought 
in all the powers of his soul ; such a change as the 
Scriptures describe by a translation from darkness 
unto light, from death to life, and from the power of 
Satan unto God. And to suppose that any but he 
who first gave being to our souls, can give them a 
new being, in all spiritual or moral respects; and 
make their dispositions, appetites, passions, contem- 
plations, desires and delights, not only differing from, 
but directly contrary to what they were, is to ascribe 
to the creature what is the peculiar property and pre- 
rogative of the glorious God himself. Do you, Sir, 
but make the trial, and you will find, after all your 
endeavours, that the violation of your promises and 
resolutions, the deadness and hypocrisy of your duties, 
the prevalence of your sins, and the continued es- 
trangement of your affections from God and Godli- 
ness, will give you more sensible conviction, than 
any method of reasoning can do, that there is a greater 
power needful, than your own, to make you a new 
creature. 

It must therefore necessarily follow, that there is 
nothing you are able to do, can give you a claim to 
the renewing influences of the Holy Spirit. If any 
thing you can do, can give you a claim to the renew- 
ing and sanctifying influences of the divine grace, 
your claim must be either from merit or promise. 
Not of merit; when you cannot of yourself so much 
as leave off sinning, and thereby running further into 
debt to the justice of God ; and this, even in and by 
the best of your duties. Your highest attainments 
therefore can merit nothing but the divine displeasure. 
Not of promise; for where, I beseech you, has God 
promised to reward your insincerity, with his saving 
mercy? And how vain are all pretences to serve God 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 83 

sincerely, where there is not one grain of true holi- 
ness in the heart? Whatever moral honesty men in a 
state of nature may boast of, it is all but spiritual 
hypocrisy in the sight of a heart-searching God: and 
can bring none under the promise; which is made to 
faith unfeigned, the only simplicity and Godly sin- 
cerity, in the account of the gospel. 

But I return to consider your objection more dis- 
tinctly. "The Scriptures," you tell me, "promise, that 
he who seeks shall find." But, Sir, do not the Scrip- 
tures also inform us, that many shall seek to enter in 
at the strait gate, and shall not be able: that some 
ask, and receive not, because they ask amiss: and 
that he who does not ask in faith, nothing wavering, 
must not think he shall receive any thing of the Lord ? 
There is indeed a promise to him who seeks in faith 
and sincerity: but what claim can he have to that 
promise, who has neither true faith nor sincerity? 
Will mocking God, and flattering him with your lips, 
while your heart is estranged from him, entitle you 
to the promise? 

But you say, " All our divines tell us, that the most 
sinful and unworthy may have access to God through 
Christ; and this is the purport of all my reasoning 
with you." True, by faith in Christ they may: but 
God is a consuming fire to unbelievers. He that be- 
lieveth not is condemned already. What claim there- 
fore can they have to the favour of God upon Christ's 
account, who have never received him by faith; and 
consequently have no interest in him, nor in any of 
his saving benefits? Can they claim the benefits of 
the covenant of grace, who are themselves under the 
covenant of works, which curses them, for their not 
continuing in all things written in the book of the 
law to do 'them? I entreat you, Sir, to consider this 
case: it is of vast importance to you. If you have 
not good evidence of an interest in Christ, how can 
you pretend to the privileges purchased with his pre- 
cious blood? How can you pretend to access to God 
through him; and a claim to the blessed influences 
of his Holy Spirit ? How can unbelievers have a claim 



84 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



to the favour of God by Christ, when he himself as- 
sures us, that the wrath of God abideth on them ? 

Bat " will not God have compassion on his crea- 
tures, when they do what they can to serve him?" 
What answer would a prince make to a condemned 
rebel in his shackles and dungeon that should make 
this plea for pardon? Would the criminal's doing 
what he can to serve his prince (which, in his present 
state, is nothing at all to any good purpose) atone for 
his past rebellion ? Or would this qualify him for his 
prince's favour, while he yet retains the same enmity 
in his heart against him, and will not so much as sub- 
mit to his sovereign good pleasure and mere mercy ? 
The application is easy. And it belongs to you, Sir, 
to consider seriously, whether a sinner, who is dead 
in trespasses and sins, who is in a state of rebellion 
against God, and therefore under the condemning sen- 
tence of the law, can any more atone for his sins, or 
make a reasonable plea for grace and pardon, than 
the traitor aforesaid. But were your reasoning ever 
so just, it would afford you no grounds of comfort. 
For there never was, nor ever shall be, any man that 
can fairly make this plea in his own favour, and truly 
say he has done all he can in the mortifying his lusts, 
and in his endeavours to serve God. There will, after 
all his attempts, remain enough neglected, even of 
the external part of his duty, that was most in his 
own power, to condemn both his person and his ser- 
vices. 

You complain, that "the arguments in the book I 
sent you, do not give you satisfaction."* Well, I 
have here added some further evidence, to what was 
there offered ; and would now call upon you to consid- 
er, whether all these things put together does not make 
it evident, that you depend on mere mercy, and con- 
vince you of those Scripture truths, that it is not in him 
that wiileth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that 
showeth mercy; and that God giveth his saving grace 
only because- it hath so seemed good in his sight. 

* The True Scripture Doctrine, &c. 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



85 



Consider, whether yon can atone for past sins by pre- 
sent duties, by duties which are so polluted by the 
principle from which they flow, and which have so 
much carnality, selfishness, hypocrisy, and sinful de- 
fects cleaving to them, that if the iniquity of your 
most holy things be imputed, it must greatly increase 
the moral distance between God and you. Consider, 
whether while you are under the law, or covenant of 
works, you are capable not only to fulfil all its pre- 
ceptive demands, and so not further expose yourself 
to its curses, but also to do something towards making 
satisfaction to God's justice for what you have al- 
ready done amiss, and to merit his favour. Or con- 
sider, whether you have any claim to God's accep- 
tance of your person upon Christ's account, without 
an interest in him, and whilst condemned already by 
his own mouth, and under the wrath of God for your 
unbelief. Consider, whether you can have any pro- 
mise of acceptance to plead, while you remain under 
the curse both of the law and gospel. Consider, whe- 
ther an omniscient and holy God can be either de- 
luded or gratified with mere external shows of reli- 
gion, when he knows you have a heart in you that is 
far from him. Consider, whether you can ever make 
the case better, by all your endeavours to change 
your own heart, and to create yourself anew in Christ 
Jesus, any more than you can produce a new world. 
Consider, whether you dare venture your eternity 
upon this issue, that you sincerely do what you can 
to serve God ; and whether there be not such sinful 
defects cleaving to your best performances, as may 
justly condemn both you and them. Consider, again, 
whether if you should do all you can in the service of 
God, you would do any thing that would either fully 
come up to the terms of the covenant of grace, or 
bear the least proportion to that salvation which the 
gospel requires. Consider once more, whether the 
glorious God has not an absolute right to dispose of 
his own favours, just how, when, and where he 
pleases; and whether he has not assured us, that he 
will bestow his everlasting mercy upon none but 



86 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



those who are really conformable to the terms of the 
covenant of grace. 

Now, Sir, if you while ungenerate can neither make 
atonement for your past sin and guilt, nor come up to 
the demands of the law of nature: if you can neither 
please God by your sinful performances, nor impose 
upon him by your hypocritical shows: if you run 
further in debt by the sin in your very duties, instead 
of paying any thing of the old score: if you have no 
claim to acceptance on Christ's account, without a 
special interest in him ; nor any claim to the benefits 
of the covenant of grace, till you actually comply 
with the terms of it : if both law and gospel condemn 
you in your present state; and nothing but omnipo- 
tence can change your heart, and make your state 
better: if God be a sovereign donor of his own favours; 
and you can have no promise to plead, while you 
remain under the curse and wrath of God, and a 
stranger to the covenants of promise: if even you 
yourself must allow all these things to be undoubted 
truths, it must then be true, even to demonstration, 
that (while in such a state) you are capable of no 
qualifying condition of the divine favour ; and had 
need therefore to feel that you depend on mere mercy. 

To conclude this head, if God himself may be be- 
lieved in the case, He will have mercy upon whom 
he will have mercy ; and whom he will, he harden- 
eth, Rom. ix. 18. 'Tis not for our sakes, that he be- 
stows grace upon us, but for his holy name's sake, 
Ezek. xxxvi. 22,31. He predestinates us unto the 
adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, ac- 
cording to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise 
of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us 
accepted in the beloved, Eph. i. 5, 6. He acts in this 
case according to his own sovereign pleasure, as a 
potter that hath power over his clay, to make one ves- 
sel to honour and another to dishonour: and we have 
no liberty to reply against God: it is insufferable ar- 
rogance for the thing formed to say to him that form- 
ed it, why hast thou made me thus ? Rom. ix. 20,21. 
Sir, as you yourself claim a sovereignty in the dispen- 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



87 



sation of your favours, surely you will not dare to 
deny a like sovereignty in the eternal God. ' Believe 
it, the glorious God is a sovereign Benefactor; and 
he will be acknowledged as such, by all that ever 
partake of his saving mercy. 

And now I am prepared to show you, that the con- 
sequence which you draw from this doctrine, is un- 
just, and even directly contrary to the improvement 
you ought to make of it. 

And the reason I offer for this is, that a realizing 
belief of the truth before us directly tends to bring 
most glory to God, and most safety, comfort, and hap- 
piness to yourself. It is easy to conceive how it con- 
duceth most to God's glory, for us to consider him as 
the fountain and foundation of all grace and mercy ; 
and to consider all the favours we enjoy or hope for, 
as flowing from the mere goodness of his nature, and 
not from any motive or inducement which we can 
possibly lay before him. In this view of the case we 
do that honour to an infinite and eternal Being, as to 
suppose him a self-existent, independent, and immu- 
table Sovereign: while, on the contrary, to imagine 
ourselves capable by any thing we can do to change 
his purposes, engage his affections, or excite and move 
his compassions towards us, is to conceive him to be 
altogether such an one as ourselves, liable to new im- 
pressions from our complaints or persuasions, mutable 
in his affections, and dependant upon our duties for 
the exercise of his grace. And I leave it to you to 
judge which of these apprehensions are most worthy 
of that God, who is infinitely exalted above us; and 
is without any variableness or shadow of turning. I 
leave it likewise to you to judge, which principle is 
most likely to subserve our best interests, that which 
does most honour, or that which does the most dis- 
honour to God. 

If we apply this to the present case, I ask in which 
way can we find most encouragement to seek or strive 
for mercy? In which way have we the best prospect 
of success? By entertaining false and dishonourable 
conceptions of the Divine Being, and denying to God 



88 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



the glory which is due to his name ? Or else by lying 
at the foot of a sovereign, and thereby ascribing to 
him the infinite perfections of his excellent nature? 
Though in this latter way, you can make no change 
in God, you will nevertheless have the evidence that 
he has made a change in you, and a comfortable 
prospect, that by bringing you to a submission to his 
sovereignty, he has a design of special favour to your 
soul. 

If we should yet further continue our view of this 
case, it will appear, that submission to the mere sove- 
reign mercy of God is most conducive to your own 
comfort, safety, and happiness. This consideration 
is a just foundation of comfort and hope, in that 
it obviates the darkness and discouragements, that 
would otherwise arise from a sense of your guilt 
and unworthiness, and from your impotence and un- 
avoidable infirmity and imperfection in the service of 
God. 

What hope could you find from your duties, when 
after your best endeavours, you could see so much 
deadness, formality, and hypocrisy, in your highest 
attainments? What hope from your reformations, 
when you find so much sin and corruption gaining 
ground against all your good purposes and resolu- 
tions? What hope from your good affections, when 
so much hardness of heart, worldly-mindedness, sen- 
suality, and carnal dispositions, are separating be- 
tween God and you? Can you quiet your soul by 
imposing upon an omniscient God, with your vain 
shows and nattering pretences ? No, Sir, if you have 
any true discovery of your own heart, these conside- 
rations must continually perplex and distress your 
soul with distracting fears and despondencies, as long 
as you are thus compassing yourself about with 
sparks of your own kindling. For these defects and 
imperfections will certainly accompany your best reso- 
lutions, endeavours, and attainments. But, then, on the 
other hand, if you depend on mere mercy, and submit 
to God as the sovereign disposer of his own favours, 
you have good grounds of encouragement and hope. 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



89 



Are your sins great, and greatly aggravated? The 
mercy of God exceeds them all. Have you no agree- 
able qualifications to recommend you to the favour 
of God? Multitudes of others have found mercy, who 
had no better qualifications than you have. Have 
you no special promise to depend upon as belonging 
to you while in an unconverted state? Yet is it not 
sufficient that you have gracious encouragement to 
leave all in the hands of that mercy which infinitely 
exceeds your highest apprehensions or imaginations? 
Are you incapable to come up to the terms of grace 
proposed in the gospel? There is yet hope in God's 
omnipotent mercy, that he will work in you both to 
will and to do, of his own good pleasure. He has done 
it for thousands of sinners no belter than you. 

Now, Sir, look around you; and see what refuge 
you can possibly betake yourself to. You are in the 
hands of justice; and which way can you make your 
escape? If you attempt to fly from God, you perish : 
but to fly to him, there is hope. He is sovereign in 
the donation of his favours, you have therefore as good 
a prospect of obtaining salvation (in the use of ap- 
pointed means) as any unregenerate person in the 
world. Your defects and x demerits need not be any 
discouragement: For his mercy triumphs over the 
guilt and unworthiness of the greatest sinners. Is it 
therefore not your greatest safety to lie at his feet, in 
the way of his appointments, where there is a blessed 
hope set before you ? In this way you have the in- 
finite mercy of God, the gracious encouragements of 
the gospel, the glorious success of so many thousands 
who have tried this method, to animate your diligence 
and hope. And there is no other way, in which you 
have any encouragement to expect renewing grace 
and pardoning, saving mercy. 

Since you wholly depend upon God's free sovereign 
mercy, you should use the more diligent and earnest 
application, in all the ways of his appointment, that 
you may obtain it. Since you must obtain mercy of 
God, or perish, with what diligence and importu- 
nity, with what ardour of soul, should you address the 

7 



90 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

throne of grace, for deliverance from your guilt and 
danger ? Since in a way of sovereignty, God is pleas- 
ed to bestow his special grace, with an interest in his 
Son, and his great salvation, at what time and by 
what means it shall seem best in his sight, you should 
therefore at all times, and in the use of all the means 
of grace, be seeking the Lord, while he may be found, 
and calling upon him while he is near. 

Can it be thought just reasoning, that because you 
cannot help yourself, and there is none but God can 
help yon, it is therefore in vain to apply to him for 
help ? That because you have-no claim to his favour, 
but lie at his mercy, you will not therefore seek 
mercy at his hands ? Does not this, at the first view, 
appear contrary to all the methods of reasoning we 
should use in any other case ? Can you promise 
yourself comfort, from such reasonings and such con- 
clusions as these, in your last expiring moments, when 
your soul is entering upon its eternal and unchange- 
able state? 

But you object, " If God in sovereignty designs 
mercy for us, we shall obtain it, whether we seek, or 
no: and if not, it is in vain to strive." To this it is 
sufficient to answer, that God never does in sove- 
reignty appoint salvation for any, in the final wilful 
neglect of gospel means. He is sovereign in the 
appointment of the means, as well as of the end. 
The same glorious Sovereign, who assures us, that 
it is not for our sakes that he bestows his special 
grace upon us, but for his own name's sake, does 
also let us know, that he will be inquired of by the 
house of Israel to do this for them. Whence it fol- 
lows, that if we have not a heart to seek with earnest 
diligence, for the gracious influences of the Spirit of 
God, there is no prospect- we shall ever obtain. For 
God will make us feel the want of his mercy, and 
will make us esteem his salvation worthy of our care 
and pains; or leave us to the unhappy effects of our 
own madness and folly. But if we have hearts given 
us, to be humbly and earnestly attending upon the 
means of grace, it is an encouraging sign, that he 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 91 

who has excited our diligence, intends to crown it 
with success. 

You see, Sir, I have obeyed your commands; and 
have addressed you with as much plainness and 
familiarity as the cause requires, and you yourself 
have demanded. 

That God may effectually bring you to submit 
to the terms of his grace, and enable you so to run, 
as that you may obtain, is the prayer of 

Yours, &c. 



LETTER VIII. 

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TRUE SAVING FAITH, AND A 
DEAD TEMPORARY FAITH, DISTINCTLY CONSIDERED. 

Sir — Your complaints do exactly answer my expec- 
tations. It is not your case alone, to have " unworthy 
apprehensions of God, vain trifling imaginations, and 
strange confusion of mind, accompanying the ex- 
ercises of religion. " It is no new thing for those 
who are setting out in earnest in a religious course, 
to find by experience, that their "progress in religion 
bears no proportion to their purposes:" And that 
their " good designs and resolutions, come to but 
little more than outside appearances, and no way 
answer their hopes." It is matter of thankfulness, 
that you have a feeling sense of this. I hope, if no 
other arguments will convince you of the truth of 
what was insisted on in my last, you will at least be 
convinced "by your own experience, that you depend 
on mere mercy. 

You " thank me for my plainness and faithfulness 
to a poor wretched infidel, who yet breathes, out of 
hell, by the mere patience of an affronted Saviour." 
I had not only the warrant of your commands, but 
the vast importance of the concern before us, to 



92 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



embolden me to lay by all reserves; and even to 
transgress the common rules of decorum and respect, 
in my former letters. And you need not "conjure 
me to retain the same freedom." I am no courtier: 
nor am I at all acquainted with the fashionable 
methods of the beau monde. I shall therefore apply 
myself according to my capacity, in my accustomed 
methods of address, to answer your desires. 

You observe, " that I insinuate as if men may be- 
lieve the truth of the gospel, without a saving faith 
in Christ, without an interest in-him, or a claim to the 
benefits of his redemption. You "therefore desire I 
would give yon the distinguishing characters of a 
saving faith, and show you wherein the difference 
lies, between a true faith and that which is common 
to hypocrites, as well as to Christians indeed." 

I do indeed insist upon it, that men may notionally 
and doctrinally believe the truth of the gospel, with- 
out a saving faith in Christ, and without an interest 
in him, or a claim to the benefits of his redemption. 
This is a truth clearly taught in the Scriptures, and 
abundantly evident from the reason and nature of 
things. If any therefore should expect- salvation, 
from a mere doctrinal and historical faith in Christ, 
they will in the conclusion find themselves disap- 
pointed and ashamed of their hope. 

We read, John xii. 42, 43, of many of the chief 
rulers who believed in Christ, but dared not confess 
him; for they loved the praise of men more than the 
praise of God. And will any man imagine, that such 
believers who dare not confess Christ before men, 
shall be confessed by him before his heavenly Father 
and his holy angels in the great day of retribution? 
Will any man imagine that our blessed Lord will own 
such of his sincere disciples and followers, who love 
the praise of men more than the praise of God ? 
Here then is a clear instance of a doctrinal and his- 
torical faith, which was not saving; and could give 
no claim to the promise made to true believers. We 
have this matter further illustrated and confirmed by 
the apostle James, in the second chapter of his epis- 






FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



93 



tie; where we are shown, that such a faith is dead, 
being alone; that it is but a carcase without breath. 
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith with- 
out works is dead also. Of such a faith we may 
therefore say with the same apostle, What doth it 
profit, though a man say that he has faith ? Can faith 
save him ? 

But I need not multiply Scripture quotations in this 
case. It is what is continually confirmed to us by 
our own observation. How many do we see every 
day, who acknowledge the truth of the gospel, and 
yet live worldly, sensual, and vicious lives; who pro- 
fess they know Christ, but in works deny him; who 
call themselves by his name, and yet value their lusts 
and idols above all the hopes of his salvation ; and 
even run the venture of eternal perdition, rather than 
deny themselves, take up their cross and follow him? 
Now there can be nothing more certain, than that 
these men are utterly unqualified for the kingdom of 
God ; and that they can have no special interest in 
him who gave himself for us, that he might redeem 
us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a pecu- 
liar people, zealous of good works. 

As, on the one hand, there is a gracious promise of 
final salvation, to all who believe on the Lord Jesus 
Christ: He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be 
saved : He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting 
life: So, on the other hand, there is a sort of be- 
lievers, who can have no claim to this promise, nor 
any interest in the salvation by Christ. It must 
therefore be of infinite consequence, that we have 
indeed the faith of God's elect that we may become 
the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ; and 
therefore that our faith be distinct, in its nature and 
operations, from such an empty, lifeless, and fruitless 
belief, with which the formal, wordly, and sensual 
professor may deceive and destroy his own soul. 
From whence it appears, that your question is most 
important; and deserves a most careful and distinct 
answer; which I shall endeavour in the following 
particulars: 



94 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

1. A true and saving faith, is a realizing and sen- 
sible impression of the truth of the gospel: whereas 
a dead faith is but a mere notional and speculative 
belief of it. Faith is by the apostle described, the 
substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of 
things not seen: That which brings eternal things 
into a near view, and represents them unto the soul 
as undoubted realities. Whence it is, that the true 
believer, when he has experienced the defect of his 
own purposes and endeavours, when he is wearied out 
of all his false refuges, emptied of all hope in himself, 
and is brought to see and feel the danger and misery 
of his state by nature, he is then brought in earnest 
to look to Jesus, as the only refuge and safety of his 
soul. He then sees the incomparable excellency of a 
precious Saviour, breathes with ardent desire after 
him, repairs to him as the only fountain of his hope ; 
and proportionably to the evidence of his interest in 
him, rejoices in Christ Jesus, having no confidence in 
the flesh. Now, the blessed Saviour and his glorious 
salvation is the subject of his serious, frequent, and 
delightful contemplation. Now, an interest in Christ 
is valued by him above all the world; and he is in 
earnest to obtain and maintain good evidence, that 
his hope in Christ is well founded. Now, the favour 
of God, and the concerns of the unseen and eternal 
world, appear of greater importance than everything 
else. He now mourns under a sense of his former sins, 
he groans under the burden of his remaining corrup- 
tions and imperfections; and with earnest diligence 
follows after holiness, endeavouring to work out his 
own salvation with fear and trembling. And in a 
word, he has such an impression of these invisible 
realities, that whatever temptations, desertions, or 
prevailing corruptions he may conflict with, nothing 
can so banish the great concern from his breast, as to 
make him habitually slothful and indifferent about it. 
Nothing can quiet him, short of having his heart and 
affections engaged in the things of God and godliness; 
and his appetites and passions under the restraint and 
governing influence of the law of the Spirit of life. 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 95 

But now, on the other hand, if we take a view of 
the influence which a dead faith has upon the soul, 
it is evident, that this usually leaves the subjects of it 
secure and careless, trifling and indifferent, in the 
concerns of the eternal world. These appear to such 
a person but distant futurities, which do not engage 
his solemn attention, and make him in earnest solici- 
tous about the event; nor give any effectual check to 
his inordinate appetites and passions. Or if (as it some- 
times happens) any awakening dispensation alarms 
the conscience of such a person, to a«distressing ap- 
prehension of his guilt and danger, drives him to 
duties and external reformations, and makes him 
more careful and watchful in his conduct, he has yet 
no sensible impressive view of the way of salvation 
by Jesus Christ. He either endeavours to pacify the 
justice of God, and his own conscience, by his du- 
ties and religious performances; and so lulls himself 
asleep again in his former security : or else continues 
to agonize under most dark, dreadful and unworthy 
apprehensions of the glorious God, as if he were im- 
placable and irreconcilable to such sinners as he. 
Such a person would readily acknowledge, but he 
cannot feel this blessed truth, that Christ Jesus is a 
sufficient Saviour. He allows it to be truth ; but it is 
to him such a truth, as has no effectual influence upon 
his heart and life. Though he owns this to be true : 
Yet he can never comfortably venture his soul and 
his eternal interest upon it, unless a ray of divine 
light shine into his soul, and give him a lively and 
sensible view of what he could before have but a 
slight and superficial apprehension of. 

Here, then, you see an apparent difference between 
a true and a false faith. The one realizes the great 
truths of the gospel, by a lively and feeling discovery 
of them; giving the light of the knowledge of the 
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. The other 
gives but a lifeless and inactive assent to these im- 
portant truths ; the one influences the heart and affec- 
tions, and by beholding with open face, as in a glass, 
the glory of the Lord, changes the soul into the same 



96 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

image, from glory to glory : the other only swims in 
the head, and leaves the heart in a state either of 
security or despondency. The one is an abiding prin- 
ciple of divine life, from which there flow rivers of 
living water: the other is transient and unsteady, and 
leaves the soul short of any spiritual principle of life 
and activity. 

2. A saving faith is an hearty consent to the terms 
of the gospel : while a dead faith is but a cold assent 
to the truth of it. Accordingly, a true faith is in the 
gospel described to be a receiving of the Lord Jesus 
Christ. To as iqany as received him, to them gave 
he power to becom^ the children of God. Our bles- 
sed Redeemer is freely offering himself and his saving 
benefits to poor perishing sinners in the gospel. Our 
compliance with and acceptance of the gospel offer, 
are the terms of our interest in him, and constitute the 
faith of God's elect. They therefore, and they only, 
are true believers in Christ, who heartily acquiesce in 
the glorious method of a sinner's recovery from ruin 
by Jesus Christ; and heariily accept an offered Sa- 
viour in all his offices and benefits. A true believer, 
convinced of his natural blindness and ignorance, re- 
pairs to the Lord Jesus Christ, to enlighten his mind, 
to make his way plain before him, and to give him a 
clear, sensible, and spiritual acquaintance with the 
great things of his eternal peace. The true believer 
has found by experience his utter incapacity to pro- 
cure the divine favour by the best of his duties, refor- 
mations, or moral performances, and that he has cause 
to be ashamed and confounded in his own sight, for 
the great defects of his highest attainments in religion : 
and therefore welcomes the Lord Jesus Christ to his 
soul, as the Lord his righteousness, repairs to him, 
and to him only, for wisdom, righteousness, sanctifi- 
cation and redemption; and builds all his hope of ac- 
ceptance with God, upon what Christ has done and 
suffered for him. The true believer labours and is 
heavy laden wilh the sinfulness of his nature; and 
longs for a further victory over his corrupt affections, 
appetites, and passions, for more spirituality in his 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 97 

duties, and for a further progress in piety and holi- 
ness; and therefore heartily desires and accepts the 
Lord Jesus Christ as his sanctifier, as well as Saviour ; 
and earnestly seeks after the renewing, strengthening, 
and quickening influences of his blessed Spirit. The 
true believer feels the necessity of this blessed Saviour 
in all his offices, relations, and characters. He sees 
him to be just such a Saviour as his soul wants; and 
therefore cheerfully accepts a whole Christ, with his 
whole heart, without any desire of other terms of ac- 
ceptance with God. He may entertain dark appre- 
hensions of himself, and complain heavily of the great 
defects of his faith and holiness: but he can never 
entertain hard thoughts of the gospel scheme; nor 
complain of the terms of salvation therein proposed. 
These appear to him the wisdom of God, and the 
power of God ; and every way answer the exigencies 
of his state, and the desires of his soul. 

But if, on the contrary, we consider the character 
of a dead faith, it is what never brings the soul to a 
full consent to the terms of the gospel, without some 
exception and reserve. The unsound believer may 
imagine, that he accepts the Lord Jesus Christ as his 
Saviour: but what is the foundation and encouraging 
motive of his imaginary compliance with the gospel 
offer? Upon an impartial inquiry, it will always be 
found to be something in himself: his good affections, 
duties, moralities, reformations, promises or purposes. 
He endeavours by these to recommend himself to God; 
and on account of these, he hopes to find acceptance 
through Christ. Or if he feels ever so strong a desire 
of salvation by Christ, yet he is driven to it only by 
fear and self-love; and will renew his affection to his 
other lords, as soon as his awakening apprehensions 
are worn off. He does not feel his want of Christ's 
enlightening and enlivening influences: for he knows 
not what they mean. He submits not to the right- 
eousness of Christ. For he is still endeavouring to 
procure acceptance with God from some good quali- 
fications in his own, some duties which he performs, 
or some progress which he makes or designs to make 



98 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



in his religious course. He cannot submit to Christ 
as his Lord. For there is some slothful indulgence, 
which he cannot forego, some darling lust which he 
cannot part with, some worldly idol which his heart 
is set upon,orsome difficult duty which he must excuse 
himself from. 

There is nothing more apparent, than the distinc- 
tion between these two sorts of believers. The one 
comes to Christ destitute of all hope and help in him- 
self; but sees enough in Christ to answer all his wants. 
The other is full in himself. The one looks to Christ 
to be his light. The other leans to his own under- 
standing. The one makes mention of Christ's right- 
eousness, and that only. The other hopes for an in- 
terest in Christ and his salvation, on account of his 
own attainments ; and, in effect, expects justification 
by his own righteousness, for Christ's sake. The one 
being a guilty, polluted, unworthy soul, comes to the 
blessed Redeemer, without any qualification to recom- 
mend it; expecting from him alone all the supplies he 
wants, repairing to him for gold tried in the fire, that 
he may be rich; for eye-salve that he may see ; and 
for white raiment, that he maybe clothed. The other 
ordinarily raises his expectations from Christ, in pro- 
portion to his own imaginary qualifications and good 
disposition. The one as well desires salvation by Christ 
from pollution, as from guilt. The other has a reserve 
of some deceitful lust; and hugs some Delilah in his 
bosom, which he cannot be willing to part with. In 
fine, the one is willing to accept of the Lord Jesus 
Christ upon any terms. The other will not come to 
Christ, but upon terms of his own stating. But I shall 
find occasion to speak further to some of these things, 
under the following head. 

3. A saving faith is a humble trust in and depend- 
ance upon the Lord Jesus Christ, as the author of our 
eternal salvation; but a dead faith always builds 
upon some false foundation, or upon none at all. 
A saving faith is often described in Scripture by a 
"trusting in the Lord, committing our way to him, 
resting on him," and other such like expressions; 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



99 



which suppose a humble confidence in the abundant 
sufficiency of the Redeemer's merits, and the bound- 
less riches of God's mercy in him. Accordingly, 
the true believer, in his greatest darkness and dis- 
couragement, ventures his soul and eternal interests 
in the hands of Christ, with, at least, a supporting 
and encouraging hope. His past sins may appear 
in the most affrighting forms, vastly numerous, dread- 
fully aggravated: however, he yet keeps his hope 
alive with this comforting consideration, that "the 
blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin." He may 
be oppressed with the sense of the horrible defects of 
his duties and religious attainments ; but he yet 
sees righteousness enough in Christ, for a safe foun- 
dation of confidence, though he find none in himself. 
This, and this alone, keeps his soul from sinking, 
answers the clamours of conscience, and disposes 
him to rely upon the free grace and mercy of God. 
He may be distressed with the prevalence of his in- 
ward corruptions; he may in an unguarded hour, be 
surprised and foiled by the power of his sinful appe- 
tites or passions, or by some unexpected temptation: 
but even in this case, his refuge is in that blessed 
advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 
And though, from sad experience of his own dreadful 
imperfections, he may be ready to question his state, 
and to fear lest he be deceived, and lest he should 
finally be ashamed of his hope, nevertheless he ven- 
tures that also in the hands of Christ, and depends 
upon him, that he will not leave his soul to a soul 
ruining deceit, but will guide him by his counsel, 
and afterwards bring him to glory. Such a depend- 
ance upon Christ the believer ordinarily exercises in 
his darkest hours and dullest frames. But when in 
the more lively exercise of grace, and when Christ is 
pleased to shine into the soul with clearer communi- 
cations of his love, his confidence, like a rock in the 
sea, stands unmoved in the greatest tempests; and he 
knows whom he has believed, that he is able to keep 
that which he has committed to him, against that 
day. With this confidence he can even glory in 



100 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



tribulation; he can cheerfully look death itself in the 
face, and triumph over the king of terrors. 

But now if we take a view of a dead faith, we 
shall find in it the quite contrary properties. The 
insincere professor (as has been observed already) 
ordinarily raises his expectations and encouragements 
from something in himself. His good frames, his 
joys and comforts, his endeavours or designs to serve 
God, are what he has to depend upon: And upon 
these he does and will depend; and perhaps will 
never see his mistake, until it be too late. Some of 
these indeed do not find even this false foundation to 
build upon : but quiet their souls with a loose and 
general hope. They believe, that God is merciful, 
and that Jesus Christ came to save sinners; or they 
hope, they shall some time or another obtain grace, 
though they find none at present. Thus too many 
of them go on quietly in their sins, dwell at ease, and 
cry peace to their souls, until the flood of God's dis- 
pleasure sweeps away their refuges of lies. Others 
there be, who by means of a better education, or 
from some awakening sense of their guilt and danger, 
cannot but see, that these beds are too short to stretch 
themselves upon ; and therefore their faith is their 
torment. They believe in Christ as their judge; but 
not as their Saviour. They spend their lives in fears 
and anxieties, in disquietude and uneasiness of mind, 
as often as their consciences are awake, to entertain 
any serious apprehensions of a future and eternal 
world. Thus they live under a spirit of bondage; 
not being able to venture their guilty souls upon the 
pardoning mercy of God, and the infinite merit of the 
Redeemer's blood. 

Nothing can be more apparent, than the distinction 
and difference here represented, between these two 
sorts of believers. The one, in all his straits, fears, 
difficulties and dangers, looks unto Christ as to a sure 
foundation of safety, confidence and hope : And 
though he may at some times doubt his interest in 
Christ, he can at no time deliberately place his 
confidence or expect safety for Ins soul any where 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 101 

else, but in the mere mercy of God in Christ. The 
other leaves the soul asleep, or else seeks rest only 
from the righteousness of the law, from desires and 
endeavours of ins own, and must either find comfort 
there, or no where. The one ventures all his interest, 
and all his hopes of grace and glory upon the faith- 
fulness of the gospel promises, and the infinite mercy 
of God in Christ. The other sees no way to quiet 
the accusations of his conscience, and to obtain quali- 
fications for salvation, by depending upon a naked 
promise. In a word, the one can see safety and 
security, in leaving all the concerns both of time and 
eternity in the hands of Christ. The other being 
ignorant of the righteousness of God, must make the 
righteousness of the law his refuge, or else live with- 
out the comfort of hope. 

4. A saving faith subjects the soul to the sceptre 
and yoke of Christ: but a dead faith leaves the soul 
unrenewed and disobedient. A true faith purifies the 
heart, and overcomes the world ; and he that hath 
this hope in Christ, purifieth himself even as he is 
pure. A true faith unites the soul to Christ, as the 
branch is united to the vine ; and thereby enables the 
man to bring forth much fruit. The true believer 
hates every false way, he mourns over, and watches, 
strives, and prays against all the corruptions of his 
nature, and all the imperfections of his heart and life. 
There is no known sin, which he indulges himself in; 
no known duty, which he willingly neglects; no 
difficulty which can deter him from following Christ; 
no temptation which can allure him from endeavour- 
ing a conformity to the whole will of God. Not as 
though he had already attained ; or were already 
perfect. He has daily cause to lament his defects : 
but yet he'can truly say, that he delights in the law 
of the Lord after the inward man; and accordingly 
endeavours in every station and relation, in all his 
conduct both to God and man, as well in secret as 
openly, to live a life of conformity to God, in all the 
duties he requires of him. And wherein he cannot 
attain, he is yet pressing towards perfection, and 



102 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



groaning after a further progress in holiness, even in 
all instances, without reserve ; nor yet satisfied with- 
out a final perseverance, to crown his sincerity. 

But, on the other hand, the obedience of an insin- 
cere professor is very partial, defective, temporary, 
and but a matter of force and constraint upon the ap- 
petites and affections. If, with Herod, he reforms and 
does many things, yet he retains his Herodias, some 
darling corruption unmortified, or leaves some un- 
pleasant duty neglected. Or if by the lashes of an 
awakened conscience, he is driven for a time to a 
more general reformation from all known sin, and to 
outward attendance upon all known duty, he finds 
no inward complacency in it, and therefore is like a 
dull horse, that will be kept on his way no longer than 
he feels a spur in his side. 

Here, then, is a conspicuous difference between a 
true and false believer. The one has a principle of 
holiness, a delight in it, and an earnest and continu- 
ing desire after further proficiency in the divine life. 
The other only aims at so much holiness as he thinks 
will save him from hell, but cares for nothing more ; 
and what he has, is excited by fear, or constrained 
by force, contrary to the natural tendency and bias of 
his soul. In fine, the one makes it the endeavour of 
his life to approve himself to a pure, holy, and omnis- 
cient God. The other rests in endeavours to quiet 
his conscience, and to silence its clamours and accu- 
sations. 

5. A saving faith works by love to God and man, 
but a dead faith always falls short of both. The apos- 
tle assures us, that if we have all faith, so that we 
could remove mountains, and have not charity, we 
are nothing. Faith worketh by love ; and the true 
believer keeps himself in the love of God, looking to 
the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life. 
He delights in contemplating the glorious perfections 
of the Divine nature. His meditations upon God are 
sweet, and the thoughts of him precious to his soul. 
He values the favour of God as life, and his loving 
kindness as better than life. If he can have the glo- 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 103 

rions God for his portion, and live in the light of his 
countenance, he can be content with straits and diffi- 
culties, trials, and afflictions, here in the world. He 
takes peculiar pleasure in the ordinances of God, 
and all the appointed means of a near approach into 
his special presence; and is especially pleased when 
favoured with sensible communion with God. — 
Though he cannot always walk so near to God, and 
find such sensible delight in him, yet he laments his 
absence when he withdraws; heavily complains of 
his own deadness, worldliness, or sensuality, which 
separates between God and his soul; and can find no 
true rest or satisfaction till he returns to God, and 
God to him. This is at least the ordinary course and 
tenor of the believer's life: and if at any time he 
should be so left of God as to grow forgetful of him, 
and have any prevalence of a dead, carnal, worldly 
frame in his soul, this darkens the evidence of his 
state, robs him of his comfort and peace, and will at 
length put him upon vigorous and active endeavours 
for obtaining a revival of his languishing graces by a 
fresh supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. 

Thus, the true believer hath the love of God dwell- 
ing in him; and, from the same principle, he likewise 
loves his neighbour as himself. He maintains a life 
of justice, meekness, kindness, and beneficence to- 
wards all men; bears injuries; is ready to forgive; en- 
tertains the best opinions of men's states and actions 
that the case will allow; and endeavours to live in 
the exercise of love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gen- 
tleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness. And as he 
thus maintains a love of benevolence to all men, he 
has, in a special manner, a love of complacence to- 
wards those who bear the marks of the divine image. 
These he delights in, on account of their being, or at 
least appearing to be, the children of God. He loves 
them for their heavenly Father's sake, as well as for 
those gracious qualifications which make the right- 
eous more excellent than his neighbour. He loves the 
company of the saints. These are excellent, in whom 
is all his delight. He loves their piety, and studies 



104 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



an imitation of them, wherein they follow Christ, and 
studies to equal, if not excel them, in their highest 
improvements in religion. He loves their persons, 
and hopes to join in concert with them in the eternal 
praises of God. 

This is the real and genuine character of every true 
believer : while the highest attainments of a dead 
faith fall short of every part of this description. The 
false professor may imagine that he has something of 
the love of God in him : but upon a just view of the 
case it will appear, that it is only to an idol, the 
creature of his own imagination. If he seems to 
love God under an apprehension of his goodness and 
mercy, he yet dreads him on account of his justice, 
and has an inward aversion to his purity and holi- 
ness ; so that the object of his love is an imaginary 
being, of infinite goodness and mercy, without either 
justice or holiness. If from the alarms of conscience, 
or some emotions of his natural affections, he may 
take some pleasure in religious exercises, this plea- 
sure is short and transient, like the principle from 
whence it flows; he soon returns to carelessness and 
forgetfulness of God, and has his affections quickly 
engaged in wordly and sensual pursuits. And how- 
ever he may deceive himself, in any supposed pro- 
gress in religion, he can never satisfy his soul with 
having God for his portion. He can never in course 
keep up a life of spiritual mindedness and delight in 
God, and in a way of obedience to him, and commu- 
nion with him. 

The same defects are likewise found in the unsound 
believer with respect to his love to his neighbour. If 
he be not (as is too commonly found) unjust and de- 
ceitful, wrathful and contentious, hard-hearted and 
unkind, bitter and censorious, revengeful and impla- 
cable: yet he never loves the children of God as such. 
Whatever love he may have to any such from special 
intimate acquaintance, or from their being in the 
same cause, party or persuasion with himself (which 
is indeed no more than the exercise of self-love or 
self-esteem) he never loves the image of Christ in 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 105 

every sect or party, in whom he finds it, nor can he 
love a conformity to the children of God in the holi- 
ness of their hearts and lives. 

Here then you see an apparent difference in these 
two sorts of believers. The one loves God above all 
things: and indeed he that does not love him with a 
supreme love, does not love him as God, and conse- 
quently does not love him at all. But the other seeks 
the favour of God, from no other motive but fear 
of his displeasure, or some desire of happiness, and 
not from a sense of the excellency of his glorious per- 
fections, and the blessedness of an interest in his fa- 
vour. The one loves what God loves, hates what he 
hates, and loves and esteems himself but in propor- 
tion to his conformity unto God. The other retains 
his delight in his lusts and idols, and repairs to God 
because he durst not do otherwise. The one, like 
God himself, takes pleasure in doing good to all men, 
and takes special delight in all without distinction, 
who are partakers of the divine nature. The other, 
at the best, has his love to man influenced by selfish 
principles, and therefore takes most delight in those 
who are most conformable to his own sentiments or 
diposition. 

Lest I should weary out your patience, I shall just 
mention but this one particular more — 

6. A saving faith humbles the soul, and makes it 
low and vile in its own eyes: whereas a dead faith 
tends to exalt the mind with vain apprehensions of, or 
endeavours after some sufficiency or excellency of its 
own. The true believer has a deep sense of the great- 
ness and aggravations of his sins, loathes himself on 
account of them, and adores the patience and long- 
suffering of God toward him, that has kept him out of 
hell. He is so sensible of the great defects of his du- 
ties, of the sinfulness of his heart, the imperfections 
of his life, and his utter unworlhiness of any favour 
from God, that he cannot but entertain a most deep 
and sensible impression, that it must be a wonderful 
display of mere sovereign grace if ever he obtains 
salvation. It is always true, that the greater manifesta- 

8 



106 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

tion of God's love that is made to his soul, the greater 
sense he hath of his own nothingness and un worthi- 
ness, and the more he admires and adores the aston- 
ishing riches of free distinguishing grace to such a 
guilty polluted creature as he is. Though the true 
believer lives in the exercise of that charity towards 
others, which thinketh no evil, but believeth all things 
and hopeth all things; he yet always finds occasion to 
condemn himself, and to censure his own inward af- 
fections, and outward performances, religious duties 
and moral conduct, and therefore cannot but esteem 
others better than himself. In short the true believer 
always, while in this tabernacle, groans, being bur- 
dened. He finds occasions of a renewed repentance 
every day: he every day finds new cause to complain 
of himself, and new cause to commit a sinful and un- 
worthy soul to the mere mercy of God in Christ. 

On the contrary, a dead faith always either puffs 
up the vain mind with a haughty pleasing apprehen- 
sion of its own attainments, makes it censorious and 
uncharitable, and inspires it with that proud Pharisai- 
cal language, " I thank God, I am not as other men:" 
or else from the same haughty principle, either leaves 
the soul secure and easy in its good designs and pur- 
poses of future repentance, or impatient and despond- 
ing through want of those good qualifications which 
it supposes necessary. 

I think, I need not enlarge upon this distinction; it 
is so apparent and manifest, and the characters so easy 
to be known. 

And now, Sir, to sum up the whole in a short and 
easy view. If you have good evidence of a saving 
faith in Christ, you must have such a sensible impres- 
sion of the truth of the gospel, as makes you feel the 
importance of your eternal concerns, and your neces- 
sity of an interest in Christ, and puts your soul upon 
earnest and active desires after him, as your only hope 
and safety. You must heartily approve the way of 
salvation which the gospel reveals, and heartily con- 
sent to the terms on which it is offered. You must 
accept of Christ as a free gift, bringing nothing with 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 107 

you of your own, to recommend you to his accept- 
ance. You must accept of him as your only right- 
eousness, to justify you before God; and as your 
Prince as well as Saviour; consenting as well to be go- 
verned as to be saved, to be sanctified as to be justi- 
fied by him. And as you must receive him, so you 
must confidently trust in him alone, as a sure founda- 
tion of safety and hope; and as a continuing fountain 
of all supplies of grace to your soul, whatever diffi- 
culties and discouragements you may meet with. 
And you must have this standing evidence of the sin- 
cerity of your faith, that it purifies your heart, and 
brings you to an earnest desire of, and endeavour af- 
ter, habitual holiness of heart and life; that it works 
by love to God and man, and keeps up in your soul 
an abasing sense of your own vileness and utter un- 
worthiness after all. This is that precious faith, to 
which the promises of the gospel are made, and to 
which no false professor can make any just pretence. 

To conclude with a still shorter view of this case. 
When a realizing belief of the gospel, and a despair 
of all help in yourself, brings you to repair to Christ 
as your only safety, and to venture your soul, guilty 
as it is, upon the merit of his obedience, the suffi- 
ciency of his grace and strength, and the faithfulness 
of his promise; and heartily to submit to his rule and 
government; you cannot fail of the sanctifying in- 
fluences of his Spirit, to qualify you for the eternal 
inheritance: for the Amen, the true and faithful Wit- 
ness, has given you his word for it, that if you thus 
come to him, he will in no wise cast you out. 

I might sum up this important point in a yet shorter 
view: If you so heartily approve of, and delight in 
the gospel way of salvation by Christ alone, that you 
can cheerfully venture your soul and your eternal in- 
terests upon it, as the sure and only foundation of 
hope and safety; you have then the faith of God's 
elect. And in this case, he that has bestowed such 
grace upon you, will carry on his own work in your 
soul, will give you those several qualifications and 
evidences of a gracious state which I have above des- 



108 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



cribed; and will at last present you faultless before 
his throne, with exceeding joy. That you may have 
the delightful experience of such a progress of grace 
in your soul, is the prayer of 

Yours, &c. 



LETTER IX. 

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A LEGAL AND EVANGELICAL RE- 
PENTANCE DISTINCTLY CONSIDERED. 

Sir — You justly observe, " It is of infinite concern, 
that your repentance towards God as well as your 
faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ, be sincere ; and 
that you have therefore cause to be solicitous not to 
be deceived with a repentance which must be repent- 
ed of." And you have therefore just reason to de- 
sire, "a clear apprehension of the difference between 
a legal and evangelical repentance. 7 ' I shall, there- 
fore endeavour, according to your desire, "to show 
you the difference, in as easy and familiar a light as 
I can." And perhaps it may give a clearer view of 
the case, if I should show you first negatively, where- 
in the distinction does not consist, under a few parti- 
culars, before I proceed to a direct illustration of it. 

It may then be observed, that a deep distress of 
mind on account of sinning against God, is common 
both to legal and evangelical repentance. Even Ju- 
das could cry out with agony of soul, " I have sinned 
in betraying innocent blood;" as well as the Psalmist 
groans out his complaint, that there was no rest in 
his bones because of his sins. A distressing sense of 
sin, in itself considered,- is therefore no evidence for, 
nor against, the truth and sincerety of repentance. 

Moreover a fearful apprehension of the divine dis- 
pleasure, may be common to both sorts of penitents. 
Mere legal convictions may make sinners in Zion 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 109 

afraid, and fearfulness surprise the hypocrite; and 
destruction from God may be a terror to a holy Job, 
in as great reality, though not with such despairing 
infidelity, as to a Cain or Judas; that this can be no 
distinguishing mark of a true or false repentance. 

I may add, dread of, and a temporary reformation 
from outward and known courses of sinning, may 
likewise be the consequence of both a legal and evan- 
gelical repentance. Ahab humbled himself, lay in 
sackcloth, and went softly; and Herod reformed many 
things, as well as David restrained his feet from every 
evil way. It is impossible for a sinner to give the 
reins to his lusts, while under the severe lashes of 
an awakened conscience: that a mere legal convic- 
tion must, while it lasts, procure an external reforma- 
tion. Such a reformation, of itself, can therefore be 
no evidence of a sincere repentance, how great so- 
ever it may appear; and besure it can be no evidence 
against it. 

Besides, men may be put upon diligence and ac- 
tivity in duty, by both a legal and evangelical repent- 
ance. An insincere repentance may bring men with 
the hypocritical Jews, to seek the Lord daily; and 
delight to know his ways, as a nation that did right- 
eousness. In their afflictions they may seek him early. 
They may seek him and return ; and inquire early after 
God. This may be the fruit of a legal repentance ; as 
well as that a true repentance may and always does, 
bring men to lift up their hearts and their hands to 
God in the heavens. This therefore can be no dis- 
tinguishing criterion in the case before us. 

Once more, a comforting persuasion of having ob- 
tained pardoning mercy, is common to both kinds of 
penitents. .God's ancient people when most incorrigi- 
ble in their impiety, would trust in lying words, come 
and stand before him in the house that was called by 
his name; and say, " We are delivered to do all these 
abominations." The Israelites in the wilderness, con- 
cluded, that God was their Rock, and the most high 
God their Redeemer, when they flattered him with 
their lips, and lied to him with their tongues; and 



110 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

their hearts were not right with him. And on the 
other hand, the true penitent may say with David, " I 
said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; 
and thou forgavest me the iniquity of my sin." A 
mere persuasion of forgiveness therefore, how com- 
fortable or joyful soever, does not distinguish the na- 
ture of that repentance, on which such a persuasion 
is founded. 

In short, it is not the deepest sense of sin or guilt; 
nor the most distressing sorrow on that account; it is 
not the fear of God's wrath, nor the greatest external 
reformation of life ; it is not the most diligent external 
attendance upon all known duty; nor the most quiet- 
ing persuasion of having made our peace with God; 
nor all these together, that will denominate a man 
sincerely penitent. For all these may be, and have 
been, attained by mere hypocrites; and often are 
found with the false, as well as true professor. 

Having, by way of precaution, given you these re- 
marks, I now proceed directly to consider the impor- 
tant case before us. And, 

1. A legal repentance flows only from a sense of 
danger, and fear of wrath; but an evangelical re- 
pentance is a true mourning for sin; and an earnest 
desire of deliverance from it. When the conscience 
of a sinner is alarmed with a sense of his dreadful 
guilt and danger, it must necessarily remonstrate 
against those impieties, which threaten him with de- 
struction and ruin. Thence those frights and terrors, 
which we so commonly see in awakened sinners. 
Their sins (especially some grosser enormities of their 
lives) stare them in the face, with their peculiar ag- 
gravations. Conscience draws up the indictment; 
and sets home the charge against them. The law 
passes the sentence, and condemns them without 
mercy. And what have they now in prospect, but 
a fearful looking for of fiery indignation to consume 
them? Now with what distress will they cry out, of 
the greatness and aggravations of their sins? With 
what amazement will they expect the dreadful issue 
of a sinful course? How ready are they now to take 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. HI 

np resolutions of a more watchful and holy life? 
Now they are brought upon their knees before God, 
to acknowledge their sins and to cry for mercy: and 
now conscience like a flaming sword, keeps them 
from their former course of impiety and sensual gra- 
tifications. And what is all this repentance, but mere 
terror and fear of hell? Let but conscience be paci- 
fied, and their fear blown over; and the dog will 
quick return to his vomit again, until some new alarm 
revive the conviction of their sin and danger, and 
their former process of repentance. Thus some will 
sin and repent, and repent and sin, all their lives; 
and yet lie open to eternal repentance after all. Or 
if the distress of conscience makes so deep an impres- 
sion, and fixes such an abiding awe of particular sins 
upon the mind, that there remains a visible and con- 
tinuing reformation: yet their lusts are but dammed 
up by their fears, and were but the dam broken 
down, they would run again in their former channel 
with renewed force. It is true, the law sometimes 
proves a school-master to drive sinners to Christ; 
and conviction of sin and a legal repentance, is a ne- 
cessary preparative to a saving conversion; but this 
alone gives no claim to the promise of the gospel. 
The house may be thus empty, swept, and garnish- 
ed, but for the reception of seven worse spirits than 
were driven out of it; and a sinner may thus escape 
the pollutions of the world, and yet have his latter 
end worse than his beginning. 

If, on the other hand, we consider the character of 
a sincere gospel repentance, though such legal terrors 
may lead to its exercise, they do not belong to its na- 
ture; nor are they any part of its description. 

Sin, itself, becomes the greatest burden and aver- 
sion to a truly penitent soul. I hate, says the Psalmist, 
every false way. wretched man that I am, says 
the apostle, who shall deliver me from the body of 
this death! Thus the penitent groans being burden- 
ed; not for fear of hell, such fear being no part of a 
true repentance, though it may sometimes accompany 
a sincere and godly sorrow for sin. But this sorrow 



112 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

arises from an affecting, humbling, mourning sense of 
sin, from a view of the sin of nature, with the hard- 
ness of the heart, and universal depravity of the 
affections which flow from it ; and from a view of 
the numerous sins of practice, with their special ag- 
gravations. This is the grief, this the distress of a 
repenting sinner. It is necessary from the nature of 
a true repentance, that it must have respect both to 
the sin of nature and practice: though both of these 
are not at all times actually in the mind; and par- 
ticularly thought of, and mourned for by the repent- 
ing sinner. The language of a true repentance is 
such as this, " I acknowledge my transgressions; and 
my sin is ever before me. Mine iniquities are gone 
over mine head, as an heavy burthen, they are too 
heavy for me. Deliver me from all my transgres- 
sions. Let not my sins have dominion over me. 
Innumerable evils have compassed me about, mine 
iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not 
able to look up: they are more than the hairs of mine 
head; therefore my heart faileth me. Be pleased, 
Lord, to deliver me: Lord make haste to help me." 
As the true penitent longs for more and more victory 
over his corruptions, so is he most watchful, prayer- 
ful, and in earnest to mortify his lusts; and to cut off 
all supplies of sin. He mourns for all, he hates all 
his lusts; and is willing to spare none, no not so much 
as a right hand, or a right eye. As there is nothing 
so grievous to him as sin, so there is nothing which 
he so earnestly desires and pursues, as a nearer ap- 
proach to that blessed state, where "nothing can enter 
which defileth or worketh abomination." 

Here you see an apparent difference between being 
struck with fear, restrained by terror, and driven from 
a course of sinning by the lashes of an awakened 
conscience; between this, I say, and loathing our- 
selves in our own sight, for all our iniquities and 
abominations, with a groaning after grace and strength 
to conquer and mortify our corruptions, and to be free 
from the empire of sin. That is merely the fruit of 
self-love, which prompts the soul to fly from danger. 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 113 

This is the exercise of a vital principle, which sepa- 
rates the soul from sin, and engages the whole man 
in a continued opposition against it. 

2. A legal repentance flows from unbelief: but an 
evangelical repentance is always the fruit and conse- 
quence of a saving faith. I have shown you already, 
that a legal repentance is effected by fearful appre- 
hensions of hell and damnation. And whence is this 
amazing and distracting fear and terror? Has not the 
gospel provided a glorious relief for such distresses; 
and opened a blessed door of hope for the greatest 
sinners? Is not pardon and salvation freely offered 
to all, that will accept a blessed Saviour and his 
saving benefits ? Is not the blood of Christ sufficient 
to cleanse from all sins, however circumstanced, and 
however aggravated they may be? Why then do 
they not cheerfully fly for refuge to his hope set be- 
fore them? Alas, they can see no safety in it! The 
law of God challenges their obedience ; and condemns 
their disobedience. Conscience joins in, both with 
the precept and sentence of the law; and thence their 
only refuge is resolutions, reformations, duties, pe- 
nance, or some such self-righteous methods to pacify 
God's justice, to quiet their consciences, and to lay a 
foundation of future hope. The defect of their en- 
deavours and attainments, creates new terrors. Their 
terrors excite new endeavours. And thus they go on 
without attaining the law of righteousness; because 
they seek it not of faith; but as it were by the works 
of the law. They may, it is true, have some respect 
to Christ, in this their legal progress. They may hope, 
that God will accept them for Christ's sake. They 
may use his name in their prayers for pardon, while 
they dare not depend upon the merits of his blood, 
for the remission of their sins, and a freedom from 
condemnation. And what is all this, but a secret 
hope, that the redemption of Christ will add such 
merit to their frights and fears, reformations and du- 
ties, as to make them effectual to atone for their sins ; 
and purchase the favour of God? So that all their 



114 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



penitential shows and appearances are nothing but 
the workings of unbelief. 

Let us now take a view of an evangelical repent- 
ance, and we shall find the characters of it directly 
repugnant to what has been considered. This must 
always be the consequence of a saving faith, and can 
never go before it. The sinner must have a realizing 
apprehension of the purity and holiness of the Divine 
nature, before he can loathe and hate his sins, on the 
account of their contrariety to God. He must have a 
feeling sense that there is pardoning mercy with God 
for sinners, before he can with courage and sincerity 
apply for forgiveness to a just and holy God. He 
must have a believing discovery of the way in which 
God is accessible by sinners, before he can have ac- 
cess with boldness to the throne of grace. He must 
see and feel, that there is safety in venturing a guilty 
soul in the hands of Christ and no where else, before 
he can look to his blood for cleansing from guilt; and 
to his grace and strength for victory over his corrup- 
tions. He must be united to Christ as a branch to the 
vine, before he can bring forth fruit meet for repent- 
ance. Without this he may be driven into despond- 
ing fears and to legal attempts for safety: but he can- 
not fly for refuge, to lay hold on the hope set before 
him. The true penitent therefore approaches God's 
presence with a deep impression of his guilt and un- 
worthiness, and of his just desert of an eternal rejec- 
tion from God. But then he comes before a mercy- 
seat. Though he is forced to acknowledge that if 
God should mark iniquity, he could not stand before 
him; he yet remembers, that with God there is for- 
giveness that he may be feared, and that with him 
there is plenteous redemption. The true penitent 
looks to the blood of Christ, as what alone can cleanse 
away his numerous and aggravated sins; and from 
thence he takes encouragement to mourn in the 
Psalmist's language, " Wash me thoroughly from my 
iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Purge me with 
hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



115 



whiter than the snow." This is the prospect which 
both encourages and invigorates his cries for mercy, 
and embitters his sins to him, and which makes him 
loathe them all, and long for deliverance from them 
all. " Is God infinitely merciful and ready to forgive, 
(says the penitent soul) and have I been so basely un- 
grateful as to sin against such astonishing goodness, 
to affront and abuse such mercy and love! Is sin so 
hateful to God, that he has so severely punished it in 
the person of his own dear Son, how vile, how pol- 
luted and abominable must I then appear in the eyes 
of his holiness and justice, that am nothing but defile- 
ment and guilt, from the crown of my head to the 
soles of my feet, nothing but wounds, and bruises, and 
putrifying sores! Has the blessed Saviour suffered his 
Father's wrath for my sins! Have they nailed him 
to the cross, and brought him under the agonies of an 
accursed death; and shall I ever be reconciled to my 
lusts any more, and go on to crucify the Son of God 
afresh? Is there pardoning mercy to be had, and shall 
I slight the blood of Christ, set light by the gracious 
offer, and perish in sight of a Saviour? May I obtain 
strength from the Lord Jesus Christ, for the victory 
and dominion over my corruptions; and shall I not 
both resolve in his strength against them, and lie at 
his foot, that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ 
Jesus, may make me free from the law of sin and 
death? Have I dishonoured God so much already, 
loaded my precious Saviour with so many horrible 
indignities, and brought such a weight of guilt upon 
myself? and is it not now high time to bid an utter 
defiance to my most darling lusts, the greatest ene- 
mies to God and my own soul?" Such as this is the 
language of a gospel repentance. And though there 
may be a sincere repentance without full evidence of 
an interest in Christ, there can be none without a be- 
lieving view of the infinite merit of his blood, and the 
safety of bringing a guilty soul to that fountain for 
pardon and cleansing, as I will endeavour to show you 
more particularly. 

You cannot but see the great distinction and even 



116 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

contrariety, between a guilty flight of soul from God, 
like Adam after his fall; and a humbling self-con- 
demning flight to God's pardoning mercy, like the 
prodigal when returning to his Father's house : Be- 
tween legal, slavish self-righteous endeavours to atone 
for our sins, and make our peace with God, and 
repairing only to the blood of Christ for cleansing 
from all our sins: Between mourning for our guilt 
and danger, and mourning for our sins, as they are 
against God, against a precious Saviour, against 
infinite mercy and love: and, in a word, between 
attempting a new life by the strength of our own reso- 
lutions and endeavours; and looking only to the 
mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ for grace and strength, 
as pardon and freedom against condemnation. 

3. A legal repentance flows from an aversion to 
God and his holy law : But an evangelical repentance 
from love to both. The distress, the terror and amaze- 
ment, that awakened sinners are under, arise from 
their dreadful apprehensions of God, and his terrible 
justice. They know that they have greatly provoked 
him, and are afraid of his wrath ; and therefore want 
some covert, where they may hide themselves from 
his presence. They might before, perhaps, have some 
pleasing apprehensions of God, while they considered 
him as being all mercy without justice; and while 
they could hope for pardon, and yet live in their sins. 
But now, they have some sense of his holiness and 
justice, he appears an infinite enemy; and therefore 
most terrible to their souls. They are consulting 
indeed some way to be at peace with him; because 
they are afraid the controversy will issue in their des- 
truction. They resolve upon new obedience, from 
the same motives that slaves obey their severe tyran- 
nical masters; while the rule of their obedience is 
directly contrary to the bent, bias, and disposition of 
their souls. Were the penalty of the law taken away, 
their aversion to it would quickly appear, and they 
would soon embrace their beloved lusts, with the 
same pleasure and delight as formerly. This is fre- 
quently exemplified in those, who wear off their con- 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. H7 

victions and reformations together, and notwithstand- 
ing all their former religions appearances, discover 
the alienation of their hearts to God and his laws, by 
their sinful and sensual lives; and as the apostle ex- 
presses it, show themselves enemies in their minds, 
by their wicked works. 

But on the contrary, the sincere gospel penitent, 
sees an admirable beauty and excellency in a life of 
holiness; and therefore groans after higher attain- 
ments in it. He is sensible how much he has trans- 
gressed the law of God, how very far he is departed 
from the purity and holiness of the Divine nature. 
This is the burden of his soul. Hence it is, that he 
walks in heaviness; and waters his couch with his 
tears. He mourns, not because the law is so strict, 
or the penalty so severe; for he esteems the law to be 
holy; and the commandment holy, just and good: 
but he mourns, that though the law be spiritual, he 
is carnal, sold under sin. He mourns, that his nature 
is so contrary to God, that his practice is so contrary 
to his will; and that he can make no better progress 
if) mortifying the deeds of the flesh, in regulating his 
affections, appetites, and passions, and in living to God. 
So that with the mind he himself serves the law of 
God, though in much imperfection; and though by 
reason of his remaining carnality, he is forced to 
acknowledge and lament, that with the flesh he serves 
the law of sin. The true penitent is breathing with 
the same earnestness after sanctification, as after free- 
dom from wrath. He does not want to have the law 
bend to his corruptions: but to have his heart and life 
fully subjected to the law and will of God. There is 
nothing he so much desires, besides an interest in 
Christ and the favour of God, as a freedom from sin, 
a proficiency in faith and holiness; and a life of com- 
munion and fellowship with God. "Oh," says the 
penitent believer, " what a wicked heart have I, that 
is so estranged from the holy nature of God; and 
from his righteous law! What a guilty wretch have 
I been, who have walked so contrary to the glorious 
God, have trampled upon his excellent perfections, 



118 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



violated his holy law, and made so near an approach 
even to the nature of the devil! for the cleansing 
efficacy of the blood of Christ; and the renewing in- 
fluences of his Holy Spirit, to purify this sink of pol- 
lution; and to sanctify these depraved affections of 
my soul! < Create in me a clean heart, God, and 
renew a right spirit within me!' Let this separating 
wall between God and my soul be broken down! Let 
me be a partaker of the divine nature ; and be brought 
near to God, whatever else be denied me! "0 that 
my ways were directed, that I might keep thy statutes ! 
let me not wander from thy commandments: but 
deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live and 
keep thy word." Such as these are the aspirations 
of a sincere repentance. A language which flows 
from a true love to God and his law; and an earnest 
desire of conformity to both. 

But you will inquire perhaps, is there no difference 
between repentance and love to God? Are not these 
different graces of the Spirit; and have they not their 
different exercises and operations? I answer, Yes; 
they are truly different and distinct: but they always 
have a joint exercise, in a truly gracious soul. As 
faith is truly distinct from repentance, and yet every 
child of God is a penitent believer: so is love like- 
wise distinct from repentance, and yet neither of these 
graces can exist without the other. We cannot truly 
love God, unless our sins are made hateful to us in 
repentance. We cannot sincerely turn to God, until 
we value his favour, and take pleasure in a conformi- 
ty to his will. As these graces therefore are joint pro- 
ductions of the blessed Spirit in our regeneration, so 
they are joint companions in the exercise of the di- 
vine love. From this reflection you may see the rea- 
son why some of the same things necessarily occur in 
this discourse of repentance, which you met with in 
my last letter, when treating upon the difference of a 
true and false faith. 

By these hints, you may plainly see the very great 
difference between a legal and an evangelical peni- 
tent. The one looks upon God with dread, terror, 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 119 

and aversion of soul. The other mourns his dis- 
tance from him, and longs to be more transformed 
into his image and likeness. The one still loves his 
sins in his heart, though he mourns that there is a law 
to punish them. The other hates all his sins without 
reserve, and groans under the burden of them, because 
they are contrary to God and his holy law. The obe- 
dience of the one is by mere constraint. The imper- 
fections of the other are matter of continual grief; and 
he is constantly longing and striving after greater de- 
grees of grace and holiness. The one can find no in- 
ward and abiding complacency in the service of God. 
The other runs the ways of his commandments with 
delight; and takes more pleasure in obedience, than 
in any thing else. 

4. A legal repentance ordinarily flows from dis- 
couragement and despondency; but an evangelical 
repentance, from encouraging hope. I have already 
considered how a legal repentance is excited and 
maintained by fetters of conscience, and fearful ap- 
prehensions of the wrath of God. Some indeed by 
their external reformations pacify their consciences, 
get settled upon their lees, and cry out peace to their 
souls; and so their repentance and discouragements 
both come to an end. But whilst their concern con- 
tinues, their desponding fears are the very life of it. 
Their sins, both for number and nature, appear dread- 
ful to their affrighted consciences, as they frequently 
violate their purposes and promises of new obedience. 
They are therefore afraid that God will never pardon 
and accept such rebels as they have been; and though 
they dare not neglect duty, they come with horror 
into the presence of God, as an inexorable judge; and 
nothing to keep their souls from sinking into despair, 
but their good designs and endeavours, which yet are 
too defective to give them comfortable hope. And 
what is all this, but a most ungrateful undervaluing 
the blood of Christ, limiting the goodness and mercy 
of God, and an implicit denying the truth of the whole 
gospel of God our Saviour? Thus they are flying from 
the mercy of God, while they pretend to fly to it. But 



120 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



I need not enlarge on this head, it being near of kin 
to what was observed under the last. 

I proceed, therefore, to show on the other hand, 
that though the true gospel-penitent may have a 
deeper impression of the greatest and atrocious na- 
ture of his sin and guilt, than even the awakened, ter- 
rified, legalist himself, yet he dares not yield to any 
despairing thoughts of God's mercy. Faith opens 
the door of hope, and therefore the door of repent- 
ance, as I have observed before. True it is, that the 
gospel-penitent may meet with many discouraging 
doubts and fears; but these are his infirmity, not his 
repentance. The apostle tells us, " we are saved by 
hope/' That is what gives life and activity to every 
grace, and to repentance in particular, as I have had 
occasion to hint before. And it is yet needful to ob- 
serve further, that though a fear and jealousy of our 
own sincerity may be consistent with a true repent- 
ance; and perhaps sometimes serves to further its 
progress; yet all doubts of the faithfulness of the gos- 
pel promises, of the extensiveness of the divine mercy, 
or our exemption from the gospel offer; all appre- 
hensions of our not being elected; of our having sin- 
ned away the day of grace; or of our having sinned 
against the Holy Ghost; all imaginations that our 
sins are so circumstanced as not to admit of pardon- 
ing mercy, or the like; these are directly destructive 
of, or inconsistent with, the actings of a true repen- 
tance. A sincere penitent looks over the highest 
mountains, which are raised before him, by the great- 
ness of his sins, his own misgiving heart, or the temp- 
tations of Satan, into an ocean of infinite goodness 
and mercy. Thither he will fly; and there he will 
hope, let his case appear ever so dark; and though 
every thing seems to make against him. And the 
more lively and comfortable his hope is, the more he 
is humbled and abased for his sins, and the more 
vigorous are his endeavours after a life of new obe- 
dience. As repentance is a hatred of, and separation 
from all sin without reserve, it must certainly be a 
flight from, and an abhorrence of unbelief and des- 






FAMILIAR LETTERS. 121 

pair, the greatest of all sins. And the further the soul 
flies from these, the more it is conformed to the gos- 
pel of Christ; and the more is it in the way of mercy. 
It is not, therefore, sufficient, for the sincere penitent 
to be sensible that God is infinitely gracious; and that 
the blood of Christ is infinitely meritorious; and that 
there is forgiveness with God for the greatest sinners, 
if he still maintains some reserve in his mind, with 
respect to his own case. But he must be likewise 
persuaded, that he either already hath, or that he 
may obtain a personal interest in this redeeming par- 
doning mercy, in order to his approaching to God as 
a Father; and in order to his being in love with the 
ways of God; and to his serving him with cheerful- 
ness and delight. This is not the only necessary, in 
order to the first exercise of a true repentance: but 
the sincere Christian will always find, that by what- 
ever darkness, difficulty, or temptation, he is brought 
into a really discouraged desponding frame, he is 
thereby rendered so much the more incapable of god- 
ly sorrow for sin, or delighting in God, or of a spirit- 
ual performance of any duty of religion. We may 
be jealous and distrustful of ourselves, hut we must 
not despond and be jealous of God, if we would 
maintain the exercise of any saving grace. " I con- 
fess, (says the truly penitent soul,) that my sins are 
like the stars of the firmament, and like the sand on 
the sea shore, for multitude; that they are of a scarlet 
and crimson dye; and that it is of the infinite patience 
of God, that such a guilty wretch is out of hell. But 
yet as great, as dreadfully aggravated as my sins may 
be, the merit of a Redeemer's blood is sufficient to 
atone for them all; and infinite mercy is still greater 
than my greatest sins. Though my iniquities have 
abounded, God has encouraged me to hope that his 
grace shall abound much more, to the returning sin- 
ner. It must be astonishing mercy, indeed, if I am 
saved; but such mercy is offered in the gospel: and 
blessed be God, I am not excluded from that gra- 
cious offer. Though I have naturally no power to 
comply with the terms upon which pardoning mercy 

9 



122 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

is set before me, yet the gospel provides a remedy in 
that case also, and I am encouraged to trust in the 
Lord Jesus Christ for all supplies of grace. I will, 
therefore, cast my guilty soul at the footstool of a 
sovereign God, and rely on infinite mercy through a 
Redeemer. I will depend upon the blood of Christ, 
which cleanseth from all sin. I will constantly re- 
pair to his fulness, that from thence I may receive 
even grace for grace; and in that way I will hope 
for the blessed sentence from his gracious mouth, 
i thy sins which be many are forgiven thee.' 
how will mercy triumph over such sins as mine! 
How great glory will God bring to the riches of his 
infinite grace in the salvation of such a sinner as I, 
if ever I am saved! How will heaven ring with eter- 
nal hallelujahs on my account! Surely I have sinned 
enough already. Let me no more add to the num- 
ber and guilt of my sins, by distrust of God's mercy, 
or by doubting the faithfulness of his invitations and 
promises. Whether I have already obtained a sav- 
ing interest in Christ or not, I am resolved to hope in 
his mercy, and to lie at his feet, whatever the issue 
be." 

So great is the difference between a legal and an 
evangelical repentance; as great as between despond- 
ing fear and encouraging hope, as between being 
affrighted by a sight of our sins, into an incapacity 
to trust God, or serve him with delight, and being 
allured by his infinite mercy to seek his favour, ex- 
pect forgiveness through the blood of his Son, and 
to serve him with the disposition of children. 

5. A legal repentance is temporary; wearing off 
with the convictions of conscience, which occasion it; 
but an evangelical repentance is the daily exercise of 
the true Christian. We have too sad and numerous 
instances of such, who will for a while appear under 
the greatest remorse for their sins; and yet quickly 
wear off all their impressions, and return to the same 
course of impiety and sensuality, which occasioned 
their distress and terror; and thereby declare to the 
world, that their goodness, like Ephraim's, was but 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 123 

" a morning cloud and an early dew." And besides 
these, there seem to be some who quiet their con- 
sciences, and speak peace to their souls, from their 
having been in distress and terror for their sins, from 
their reformation of some grosser immoralities, and 
from a formal course of duty. They have repented, 
they think, and therefore conclude themselves at 
peace with God; and seem to have no great care or 
concern about, either their former impieties, or their 
daily transgressions. They conclude themselves in a 
converted state; and are therefore easy, careless, and 
secure. These may think and perhaps speak loftily 
of their experiences, they may be blown up with joy- 
ful apprehensions of their safe state: but have no im- 
pressions of their sins, no mourning after pardon, no 
groaning under the burden of a wicked heart, imper- 
fect duties, and renewed provocations against God. 
I fear, we have too many such in the present times, 
who will go on flattering themselves in their own 
eyes, until their iniquities are found hateful. I might 
add, there are many that, while under the stings of 
an awakened conscience, will be driven to maintain 
a solemn watch over their hearts and lives, to be 
afraid of every sin, to be conscientiously careful to 
attend every known duty, and to be serious and 
earnest in the performance of it. Now, by this ima- 
ginary progress in religion they gradually wear off 
their convictions, and get from under the terrors of 
the law; and then their watchfulness and tenderness 
of conscience are forgot: they attend their duties in a 
careless manner, with a trifling, remiss frame of soul, 
while the great concerns of an unseen eternal world 
are but little in their minds; and all their religion is 
reduced to a mere cold formality. They still maintain 
the form; but are unconcerned about the power of 
godliness. In some such manner, a legal repentance 
always leaves the soul short of a real sanctifying 
saving change. 

On the other hand, a saving evangelical repentance 
is a lasting principle of humble, self-abasing, self-con- 
demning, mourning for, and abhorrence of all the 



124 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



sins which the penitent discovers, both in his heart 
and life. The true penitent does not forget his past 
sins, and grow careless and unconcerned about them, 
as soon as he obtains peace in his conscience, and a 
comforting hope that he is reconciled to God: but the 
clearer evidences he obtains of the divine favour, the 
more does he loathe, abhor, and condemn himself for 
his sins, the more vile does he appear in his own 
eyes; and the more aggravated and enormous do his 
past sins represent themselves to him. A sense of 
pardoning mercy makes Paul appear to himself the 
chief of sinners, and speak of himself as a pattern of 
hope, to all that shall come after him. The true peni- 
tent not only continues to abhor himself on account 
of his past guilt and defilement, but finds daily cause 
to renew his repentance before God. He finds so 
much deadness, formality, and hypocrisy in his duties; 
so much carnality, worldly-mindedness, and unbelief 
in his heart; so much prevalence of his sinful affec- 
tions, appetites, and passions; and so many defeats 
by the sin that easily besets him, that he cannot but 
groan, being burdened, while he is in this tabernacle. 
Repentance therefore is the daily continued exercise 
of the Christian indeed, until he puts off mortality. 
He will not leave off repenting, till he leaves off sin- 
ning; which is not attainable on this side heaven. 
" Have I hope, says the penitent soul, that God has 
pardoned my sins? What an instance of pardoning 
mercy is this! How adorable is that wonderful grace, 
which has plucked such a brand out of the fire! And 
am I still daily offending against such mercy and 
love! Am I still so formal, lifeless, and hypocritical! 
Am I yet doing so little for him, who has done so 
much for me! Ah vile sinful heart! Ah base in- 
gratitude to such amazing goodness ! Oh for more 
victory over my corruptions; for more thankfulness 
for such mercies; for more spirituality and heavenly 
mindedness! How often have I been mourning my 
infirmities; and must I yet have cause to mourn over 
the same defects? How often pursuing and design- 
ing a closer walk with God; but what a poor pro- 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



125 



gress do I yet make, save in desires and endeavours? 
How would the iniquities of my best duties separate 
between God and my soul for ever, had I not the Re- 
deemer's merit to plead! What need have I, every 
day, to have this polluted soul washed in the blood 
of Christ; and to repair to the glorious advocate with 
the Father, for the benefit of his intercession ! Not a 
a step can I take in my spiritual progress, without 
fresh supplies from the fountain of grace and strength ; 
and yet how often am I provoking him to withdraw 
his influences, in whom is all my hope and confi- 
dence! <0 wretched man that I am, who shall de- 
liver me from this body of death !' " Thus the true 
penitent goes with his face Zion-ward, mourning as 
he goes. And thus in his highest attainments of 
comfort and joy, will he find cause to be deeply hum- 
bled before God, and to wrestle with him for renewed 
pardon ; and new supplies of strengthening and quick- 
ening grace. 

The difference between these two sorts of penitents 
is very apparent. There is the same difference, as 
the running of water in the paths after a shower, and 
the streams flowing from a living fountain of water: 
a legal repentance lasting no longer than the terrors 
which occasion it, buX an evangelical repentance be- 
ing a continued war with sin, till death sounds the 
retreat. Once more, 

6. A legal repentance does at most produce, only a 
partial and external reformation, but an evangelical 
repentance is a total change of heart and life, and 
universal turning from sin to God. As some particu- 
lar more gross iniquities most commonly lead the way 
to that distress and terror, which is the life of a legal 
and insincere repentance: so a reformation of those 
sins too frequently wears off the impression, and gives 
peace and rest to the troubled conscience, without any 
further change. Or, at best, there will be some dar- 
ling lusts retained, some right hand or right eye 
spared, some sweet morsel rolled under the tongue. 
If the legal penitent be afraid of the sins of commis- 
sion, he may still live in the omission or the careless 



126 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

performance of known duty. Or, if he be more for- 
ward in the duties of God's immediate worship, he 
may still live in the acts of injustice, strife, and un- 
charitableness towards men. If he shows some zeal 
and activity in the service of God, he will yet, per- 
haps, have his heart and affections inordinately glued 
to the world; and pursue it as the object of his chief 
desire and delight. If he make conscience of all open 
actual sins, he yet little regards the sins of his heart, 
but lives in envy, malice, pride, carnal-mindedness, 
unbelief, or some other such heart-defiling sin. To 
finish his character, whatever seeming progress he 
may make in religion, his heart is not right with God: 
but is still going after his idols, still estranged from 
vital Christianity and the power of godliness. Like 
Ephraim, he is as a cake not turned, neither bread 
nor dough; or, like Laodicea, lukewarm, neither hot 
nor cold. 

If we proceed to view the character of the sincere 
penitent, it is directly contrary to this. He finds in- 
deed (as has been observed) continued occasion to 
lament the great imperfections of his heart and life; 
and accordingly seeks renewed pardon and cleansing 
in the blood of Christ. But though he has not already 
attained, nor is already perfect, he is yet pressing 
towards perfection. He is yet watching, striving 
against all his corruptions; yet aiming at and en- 
deavouring after further conformity to § God, in all holy 
conversation and godliness. He is never satisfied with 
a partial reformation, with external duty; or with 
any thing short of a life of vital piety. He does not 
renounce one lust, and retain another; content him- 
self with first-table duties, in the neglect of the second ; 
nor quiet himself in a life of mere formal godliness; 
nor can he rest, till he rejoices in the testimony of 
his conscience, that in simplicity and Godly sincerity, 
not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God 
he has his conversation in the world. All the actings 
of his mind, as well as his external conduct, fall un- 
der his strictest cognizance and inspection; and he is 
careful to approve himself to him, who knows his 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 127 

thoughts afar off. His reformation extends not only 
to the devotions of the church, but of his family and 
closet; not only to his conversation, but his thoughts 
and affections; not only to the worship of God, but 
to the duties of every relation he sustains among 
men; and in a word, his repentance produces heaven- 
ly mindedness, humility, meekness, charity, patience, 
forgiving of injuries, self-denial; and is accompanied 
with all other fruits and graces of the blessed Spirit. 
" It is the desire of my soul (says the sincere penitent) 
to keep the way of the Lord; and not wickedly to 
depart from my God. I would refrain my feet from 
every evil way; and walk within my house with a 
perfect heart. I know I have to do with a God who 
trieth the heart; and hath pleasure in uprightness; I 
would therefore set the Lord always before me; and 
serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing 
mind. I know that my heart is deceitful above all 
things; and desperately wicked. I know that mine 
iniquities are ascended over mine head; for which I 
am bowed down greatly; and go mourning all the 
day long. But yet my desire is before the Lord; and 
my groaning is not hid from him. I can truly say, 
that I even hate vain thoughts: but God's law do I 
love. that God would give me understanding, that 
I may keep his law, and observe it with my whole 
heart! I would be for God without any reserve: for 
I esteem his precepts concerning all things to be right, 
and I have inclined my heart to keep his statutes al- 
ways, even unto the end. 

To conclude, herein lies the great difference between 
a legal and an evangelical repentance: the one is an 
external reformation only, destitute of all the graces 
of the blessed Spirit. The other is an internal change, 
a change of the heart, of the will and affections, as 
well as of the outward conversation; a change which 
is accompanied with all the fruits and graces of the 
Spirit of God. The one aims at just as much religion 
as will keep the mind easy; and calm the ruffles of 
an awakened conscience. The other aims at a holy, 






128 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



humble, watchful, and spiritual walk with God; and 
rests in no degree of attainments whatsoever. 

Thus, sir, I have given you a general view of the 
difference between a legal and an evangelical repen- 
tance. You have not demanded this of me out of 
mere curiosity; or as a matter of mere speculation 
only: but in order to the exercise and practice of a 
repentance unto life, not to be repented of. 

You should therefore remember who is exalted at 
God's right hand, to give repentance, as well as for- 
giveness of sins. Remember that you must depend 
only upon the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ; and 
must accordingly lie at his footstool, to have this 
great and important change wrought in your heart. 
And, therefore, since you depend upon the mere sove- 
reign grace of God in Christ, for the renewing in- 
fluences of his Holy Spirit, you should be the more 
importunate in your cries to him, in the language of 
Ephraim, "turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for 
thou art the Lord my God." 

You should endeavour to review your past sins, 
and as particularly as you can, acknowledge them 
before God, with all their heinous circumstances and 
peculiar aggravations; and you should with peculiar 
ardour of soul wrestle with him for pardon and cleans- 
ing in the blood of Christ. 

You should endeavour to see and be affected with 
the sin of your nature, as well as of your practice; of 
your heart as well as of your life; and with constant 
fervency cry to God for a new heart and a right spirit, 
for victory over your corruptions, and for grace to ap- 
prove yourself to God in a life of new obedience, as 
well as for pardon a4id reconciliation to him. 

You should be daily calling yourself to an account 
for your daily sins and imperfections; and daily con- 
fessing and lamenting them before God, that you 
may never have so much as the sins of one day un- 
repented of. 

Though it be impossible that you can be sufficient- 
ly humbled before God, under an abasing sense of 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 129 

yonr great sinfulness, unworthiness, and ingratitude 
to him, yet remember that " faithful saying, which is 
worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came to 
save sinners." Do not dishonour the infinite merit 
of the Redeemer's blood, by being afraid to trust it, 
for pardon and sanctification. Do not dishonour the 
infinite compassion of the Divine nature, by calling 
into question his being as ready to grant, as you 
heartily to seek, pardon and forgiveness of all your 
sins, how many and great soever they be. Be there- 
fore humbled; be not discouraged. While you lament 
your sin and imperfection, adore the infinite riches of 
that grace and love, which has "opened a fountain 
for sin and uncleanness." 

And to sum up the whole in a word: You must 
remember, that it is the essence of a true repentance 
to turn unto God; and therefore if you would evi- 
dence the sincerity of your repentance, you must 
give up yourself to God. You must choose him for 
your God and portion. You must watch at his gates; 
and wait at the posts of his doors. You must make 
a business of religion; and in a life of most active 
and earnest diligence, expect acceptance through the 
merits of Christ, and continued supplies of grace and 
strength from his fulness, to " bring forth fruits meet 
for repentance." 

That the Lord would carry on his own work in 
your soul, and lead you from grace to grace, and 
from strength to strength, till you arrive where your 
faith will be turned into vision, and your repentance 
into eternal praises, is the prayer of 

Yours, &c. 



130 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



LETTER X. 

THE SEVENTH CHAPTER TO THE ROMANS CONTAINS THE DE- 
SCRIPTION AND CHARACTER OF A CONVERTED STATE. 

Sir — I cannot but take comfort, from your melan- 
choly complaint of the corruption you are struggling 
with ; and your sense of the vileness and sinfulness of 
your heart, which make you groan, being burthened: 
because you therein breathe the language of a broken 
and contrite spirit, and give me hopes that you are 
offering to God the sacrifice, which he will not despise. 
" You took comfort," you tell me, " from the seventh 
chapter to the Romans, finding there the like com- 
plaints with yours, in so eminent and exalted a Chris- 
tian as the apostle Paul himself: but that prop is 
knocked from under you, by conversation with some 
persons of a superior reputation for religion, who as- 
sure you, that St. Paul is there giving the character 
of an unconverted person, under a conflict between 
his corruptions and the alarms of an awakened con- 
science, and that all those places of Scripture are to 
be interpreted in the same manner, which represent 
the like conflict in the soul." Upon which you de- 
sire my sentiments. 

What strange efforts are of late made against evan- 
gelical, vital, and experimental piety ! How incon- 
sistent are the methods used by those, who are so 
earnestly labouring in this undertaking ! Is it not 
enough to put mankind into a dangerous security, by 
flattering them with a prospect of safety, without any 
experience of a work of grace in their hearts, but they 
must also torment and disquiet the minds of those 
who have been favoured with those blessed experi- 
ences, by persuading them, that remaining disallowed 
corruptions and imperfections are inconsistent with a 
state of grace, and with the favour of God! What do 
these men mean? Have they no feeling perception, 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 131 

no affecting sense of the imperfections of their hearts 
and lives? Or, do they make it their practice, and 
esteem it their duty to give their corruptions a quiet 
residence in their hearts, and to maintain no conflict 
or struggle with them? 

But it is my business to answer your demands, and 
to endeavour to convince you, that the apostle, in the 
7th chapter to the Romans, is describing the conflict, 
which every true Christian experiences while he 
walks with God, and lives near to him. 

In order to a fair and clear decision, it will be pro- 
per to take some very brief notice of the general 
scope and design of his epistle, in the first seven chap- 
ters. This seems to be summarily proposed in the 
first chapter, verse 17th: "Therein the righteousness 
of God revealed, from faith to faith, as it is written, 
The just shall live by faith. " That is, we are justified 
before God, only by the righteousness of Christ re- 
ceived by faith; we continue in a justified state, by 
the renewed exercise of faith; and the whole life of a 
justified person is a life of faith in the Son of God, as 
well as his whole hope of eternal life is through faith 
in Christ. This doctrine is proved, by a representa- 
tion of atrocious impiety and wickedness of the whole 
Gentile world, that even they who make the highest 
pretences to innocence, and who judge and censure 
others for such horrid impieties as are commonly prac- 
tised among them, are all inexcusable and self-con- 
demned on account of the wickedness perpetrated and 
indulged by themselves; being all of them violaters of 
the law and light of nature, as will leave them with- 
out excuse in the day when God shall judge the se- 
crets of men by Jesus Christ. This is plainly the 
apostle's argument, from the 18th verse of the first 
chapter. Whence it follows, that the Gentile world 
cannot possibly have any claim to justification by 
their own personal obedience; nor any other way, but 
by the righteousness of Christ received by faith. 

The apostle next proceeds to show, that the Jew 
hath no better plea to make for his acceptance with 
God, on account of his own personal righteousness, 



132 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

than the Gentile, though he rests in the law, and 
makes his boast of God, knows his will, and approves 
the things that are most excellent. For he also, in his 
natural attainments, breaks the law, dishonours God, 
and at the best performs but an external obedience, 
and reaches not the spirituality which the law re- 
quires. The Jew has indeed much every way, the 
advantage, in point of external privilege: but in point 
of justifying righteousness, he cannot be said to be 
better than the Gentile; no, in no wise! This is the 
argument from the 16th verse of the second, to the 
9th verse of the third chapter. In which verse, and 
those following, the apostle sums up the argument in 
these remarkable words, which fully justify my inter- 
pretation of his scope and design: "For we have be- 
fore proved, both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all 
under sin. As it is written, ' there is none righteous; 
no, not one,' &c. That every mouth may be stop- 
ped, and all the world may become guilty before 
God." From those promises, he draws this conclu- 
sion in the 20th verse of the third chapter, &c. "There- 
fore by the deeds of the law shall no flesh living be 
justified in his sight. For by the law is the know- 
ledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God, 
without the law, is manifested, being witnessed by 
the law and the prophets: even the righteousness of 
God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and 
upon all them that believe: for there is no difference. 
Being justified freely by his grace, through the re- 
demption that is in Christ Jesus. Therefore we con- 
clude, that a man is justified by faith, without the 
deeds of the law." Which was the point to be proved. 
But here may arise a question: What law is it that 
the apostle excludes from having any hand in our 
justification? To which it is answered: All the law 
that was obligatory both upon Jews and Gentiles. 
For they were both obnoxious to wrath, by their vio- 
lation of the respective laws they were under; had 
" all sinned, and come short of the glory of God." 
And God deals with them all alike. He will justify 
them all by their faith in Jesus Christ, and no other- 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 133 

wise; and thereby show, that " he is not the God of 
the Jews only, but of the Gentiles also." 

Having thus concluded his first argument, and 
proved from the guilt and impotence both of Jew and 
Gentile, that no man can be justified by the law of 
nature, by the law which was given to the Jews, 
nor any other way, but by the righteousness of God, 
which is by faith of Jesus Christ, the Apostle pro- 
ceeds to prove the same thing from Abraham's faith 
being imputed to him for righteousness; and from 
David's describing the blessedness of the man to 
whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 
throughout the fourth chapter. 

He then begins the fifth chapter by describing the 
glorious privileges of those who are thus justified by 
faith, and ends it by showing in what manner we 
partake of the righteousness of Christ, for our justi- 
fication: that it is in the same manner as we are par- 
takers of the sin and guilt of Adam to our condem- 
nation. As Adam's sin was imputed to all whom he 
represented, unto their condemnation, so the right- 
eousness of Christ is imputed to all whom he repre- 
sented, and who believe in him, unto justification of 
life. " As by one man's disobedience many were 
made sinners; so by the obedience of one, many shall 
be made righteous." 

After a solemn caution unto all, not to turn the 
grace of God into wantonness, and not to continue in 
sin, that grace may abound; and after enforcing this 
caution, from the obligation we are under by our bap- 
tism, to die unto sin, and walk in newness of life, as 
Christ died for us, and rose again from the dead, (as 
in the first part of the sixth chapter) the apostle goes 
on to show (in the latter part of that chapter) what 
was the privileged happy state of these Romans, to 
whom he wrote: That "sin had not dominion over 
them; for they were not under the law, but under 
grace:" That they were "made free from sin, and 
were become the servants of righteousness." And 
then throughout the whole seventh chapter, and the 
beginning of the eighth, he illustrates this matter; and 



134 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

shows in what respect they are not under the law, 
and how, or in what respects, they are made free 
from sin. 

This, Sir, appears plainly to be the scope and con- 
nection of the first seven chapters of the epistle to the 
Romans; as may be easily observed, by any one, that 
will impartially look into the case, without prejudice 
in favour of a party; or a preconceived opinion, which 
he is resolved to maintain. 

And thus I am come to a more particular considera- 
tion of this seventh chapter; which, as was observed, 
is designed to clear up these two things. How we 
are made free from the law; and, How we are made 
free from sin, and become the servants of righteous- 
ness. 

The first thing considered by the apostle, in this 
chapter, is in what respects these believing Romans 
were under grace and not under the law. But pre- 
vious to a direct attention to this, it will be neces- 
sary to remove a stumbling block out of the way, by 
considering again, what law it is that the apostle re- 
fers to, when he declares these Romans not to be 
under the law, but under grace ; to be dead to the 
law; and be delivered from the law, that being dead 
wherein they were held. Does he herein speak of 
the ceremonial law, or of the moral law, or of both ? 

To this I answer: The apostle here speaks of the 
law in the same sense, and uses the word in the same 
extent of signification, as in the foregoing parts of 
this epistle. It is the scope and design of this epistle 
— (as I have shown you) to prove that both Jew and 
Gentile must be justified only by the righteousness of 
Christ, received by faith; and not by their own obser- 
vance of any law, which they are under. The law, 
therefore, in question, is that law, which the Gentiles 
have written in their hearts; and that law which the 
Jews rest, in, boasting themselves of God, chap. ii. 
14, 15, 17. It is that law, by the violation whereof 
both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin ; and against 
which all have sinned, and come short of the glory of 
God. chap. iii. 9, 23. It is that law, without which 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 135 

there could be no transgression, chap. iv. 1.5. And 
in a word, that law, by which every mouth may be 
stopped, and all the world become guilty before God. 
chap. iii. 19. The law, therefore, here must be taken 
in the largest extent of the word, including the whole 
will of God, any manner of way manifested, to any 
and every part of mankind, whether Jew or Gentile. 
Though it is evident, that the apostle hath in this 
seventh chapter a special reference to the moral law. 
This appears, 

1. Because the law here referred to, is what these 
believing Romans has been married to, and been held 
by; as appears in the 4th and 6th verses. Now these 
Romans to whom the apostle wrote, were most of 
them (if not all of them) Gentiles; as he expressly 
declares, chap. i. 13, and chap. xi. 13, and were 
therefore never married to the Levitical or ceremonial 
law, never held by it; and consequently never de- 
livered from it. It was the moral law only to which 
they had been married; and from that only they were 
therefore made free: and that consequently, must be 
what the apostle especially refers to, in this chapter. 

2. Because the apostle, in exemplification of his 
meaning, instances in the moral law, and no other: 
the law by which concupiscence is known, and which 
forbids coveting, verse 7th. The law, which is spiri- 
tual, verse 14th. Whereas, the ceremonial law, con- 
sidered in itself, was not spiritual, but made up of 
carnal ordinances. Heb. ix. 10. It is the law, in 
which the apostle delighted, after the inward man, 
verse 22d. But he was so far from taking delight in 
the ceremonial law, that he strongly and pathetically 
exclaims against the observation of it now that Christ 
is come, and represents the ordinances of this law, to 
be now become beggarly elements, Gal. iv. 9, and 
forward. 

In fine, he instances in that law of God which he 
himself served with his mind, verse 25th. But his 
heart was not so set upon the observation of the cere- 
monial law, as to " desire again to be brought into 
bondage to it." From all which it is evident, if de- 



136 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



monstration may be taken for evidence, that it is the 
moral law, which is principally designed by the apos- 
tle in this chapter and context, when he tells ns, that 
no man can be justified by the law; and that be- 
lievers are made free from the law, by their interest 
in Christ. 

I am now prepared to consider, in what respects 
the apostle here represents believers to be "freed from 
the law," or to be " not under the law." And to set 
this matter in the clearest light, it will be proper to 
consider it, 

1. Negatively: Showing in what sense they are 
not here represented, as being freed from the law. 
Particularly then, 

They are not represented to be freed from the law, 
as it is a rule of moral conduct. No ! " The law is 
holy; and the commandment holy, and just, and 
good," verse 12th. Believers "consent to the law, that 
it is good," verse 16th. " And with their mind they 
serve the law of God," verse 25th. 

They are not freed from endeavours after, and de- 
light in obedience to the law of God. " To will is pre- 
sent with them," even beyond their capacity of per- 
formance, verse ISth. " They would do good," even 
when " evil is present with them;" and " they delight 
in the law of God, after the inward man," verse 21st, 
and 22d. 

I add, they are not freed from being grieved and 
burthened on the account of the imperfection of their 
obedience to the law of God: but must, on that ac- 
count, "groan being burthened, while they are here 
in this tabernacle;" and must cry out with the apostle, 
"0 wretched man, that I am; who shall deliver me 
from the body of this death !" verse 24th. And now 
let us attend, 

2. To the affirmative description here given, of the 
believer's freedom from the law of God. 

They are here represented as freed from their mar- 
riage relation to the law, or from the obligations of it, 
as a covenant of life. While in their carnal and unre- 
generate state, they were under the strictest bonds of 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 137 

subjection to the law of nature, or the moral law. It 
rigorously exacted perfect obedience of them, as the 
only condition of their acceptance with God: and con- 
tinuing in that state, they could have no righteous- 
ness at all to plead, but their own conformity to the 
whole demands of law; and they must obtain eter- 
nal life by perfect obedience, or not at all. But now 
that marriage covenant is dissolved by their faith in 
Christ. They are become dead to the law, by the 
body of Christ, that they should be married to an- 
other, even to him who is raised from the dead. 
" They are delivered from the law, that, being dead 
in which they were held;" verses 4th and 6th. They 
have, therefore, another righteousness to plead, with- 
out a perfect personal conformity to the law; and 
their hope of salvation is held by another tenure, 
built upon another foundation, an espousal to Christ, 
the one only husband, that is able to pay their debts 
to offended justice, and save them to the uttermost. 
They may now serve God in newness of spirit, from 
a new principle, from new motives, with new affec- 
tions, with new hopes; and not in the"oldness of the 
letter;" verse 6th. Not from any expectation that 
by doing these things they should live in them; nor 
under the terror of the dreadful curses pronounced 
against " every one who continues not in all things 
written in the book of the law, to do them." This 
is evidently the design of the first six verses of this 
chapter. 

Moreover, they are freed from that spirit of bond- 
age which they were once under, when their guilt, 
danger and misery were brought to their view by the 
law. This the apostle exemplifies, by representing 
his own state, when under a law work. " For I was 
alive without the law once; but when the command- 
ment came, sin revived, and I died; and the com- 
mandment which was ordained to life, I found to be 
unto death;" verses 9th and 10th. That is, I thought 
myself once alive, was in a state of safety and with- 
out the curse in my own apprehension, while igno- 
rant or thoughtless of the spirituality, extent, and 

10 



138 



AMILIAR LETTER 



terror of the law of God; but when the command- 
ment came home to my conscience, and I found what 
my state truly was, sin revived, rose up against me 
in its condemning power, or appeared to me in its 
own nature and aggravations, "exceeding sinful;" for 
" by the law is the knowledge of sin ;" and so I found 
myself to be a guilty creature, a dead man, indeed, 
under the law, under its curse and damning sentence; 
and died to self-flattering hope, and confidence in the 
flesh. Now this is the very case of all awakened 
sinners, when the law comes near to conscience, 
lays the weight of their guilt upon them, and sets 
their danger of everlasting punishment before them. 
But now these believing Romans were delivered 
from this bondage to the law; there being " no con- 
demnation to them which are in Christ Jesus;" and 
" that being dead, wherein they were held." 

I may add to this, that they were also freed from 
the irritating power of the law. When an awaken- 
ed sinner first obtains a sensible view of the strict- 
ness, purity, and spirituality of the law, so of the 
vast number and dreadful aggravations of his sins, 
with the amazing wrath that hangs over his head; 
this fills his soul not only with horror and amaze- 
ment, but with an impatient, disquieting anxiety, 
which unhinges his mind for duty, inflames his cor- 
ruptions, and gives them the advantage against all 
his good purposes, resolves, and endeavours. So that 
the law, inhibiting sin, without giving power to avoid 
it, does but make the sinner's lusts, (like a torrent 
dammed up,) to swell the more, and to run with 
greater force, when they get vent; and "sin taking 
occasion by the commandment, works in the soul all 
manner of concupiscence, deceives the sinner, and 
slays him," as it is expressed, verse Sth and 11th. 
But these believing Romans were delivered from the 
law in this respect also. Having a discovery of the 
glorious way of salvation by Christ, and the safety of 
depending upon his righteousness, they were quick- 
ened by adoring views of redeeming mercy; actuated 
by a principle of love to God; and strengthened by 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 139 

the divine influences of the Spirit of grace, to mor- 
tify their lusts, and to live a life of sincere and spirit- 
ual obedience; or as the apostle expresses it (verse 6,) 
to "serve God in newness of spirit; and not in the 
oldness of the letter." 

These three things are most certainly represented 
in the context, as the servitude that unregenerate men 
are under to the law. This is too evident to be dis- 
puted. Believers are certainly represented as being 
delivered from the servitude of the law: whence it 
follows, that their freedom from the law, here treated 
of, must consist in those particulars which I have con- 
sidered. 

And now I am further to observe to you, that there 
is another glorious privilege of believers distinctly in- 
sisted upon in the sixth chapter, which is, as I hinted 
before, particularly illustrated in this; and that is, 
that they are "dead unto sin, and alive unto God. 
Sin has no more dominion over them," they " being 
not under the law, but under grace." They are 
" made free from sin, and become the servants of 
righteousness: and being made free from sin they 
are becorfTe the servants of God, have their fruit unto 
holiness, and the end everlasting life," chap. vi. 11, 
14, 18, 22. This character of believers depends upon 
the other already considered. They being made free 
from the law, they are of consequence made free 
from sin likewise. A freedom from sin is the fruit 
of our freedom from the law; which is therefore first 
considered, and the consideration of this, superadded 
as an appendage to it, or a necessary consequence 
from it. 

But how are we to understand these strong expres- 
sions? Are believers wholly freed from all sin? Are 
they arrivedat a sinless state of perfection? Or in 
what other sense are they free from sin, and become 
servants of righteousness? This question the apostle 
answers, from the 14th verse of the seventh, to the 
3d verse of the eighth chapter; and particularly ex- 
emplifies the- case, by representing to us the state of 
his own soul with respect to the freedom from sin; 



140 FAMILIAR LETTERS, 

and the remaining conflict he yet had with his cor- 
ruptions. In the foregoing verses he had shown us 
what he once was, when in a carnal state, and under 
the tyranny of the law. " I was alive without the 
law once/' &c. And throughout that discourse he 
speaks wholly in the preterperfect tense, as of former 
matters, things already passed. From the 14th verse, 
and forward, he shows us what he now is, and speaks 
therefore only in the present tense, as being to de- 
scribe this new state of freedom from sin. By alter- 
ing thus his form of expression, in this change of 
tenses, we may plainly see, that there is such a tran- 
sition as I am now supposing, and may easily know 
where it begins. 

Thus, sir, I have endeavoured to set before you in 
the briefest and plainest manner I could, the scope 
and connection of the first seven chapters of this epis- 
tle to the Romans. By a due attendance to which, 
you cannot but discover how groundless and imperti- 
nent all the reasonings of those gentlemen are, of 
whom you speak. 

However, that this may appear in a yet stronger 
light, I will now proceed to a direct refutation of the 
opinion, that the apostle is here personating and giv- 
ing the character of an unconverted or unregenerate 
person, struggling under the convictions of an awaken- 
ed conscience. And 

1. It is undeniably certain, that the most holy of all 
the natural descendants of Adam, that ever were in 
the world, have had cause to make the same com- 
plaints of their remaining corruptions, as the apostle 
here does; and have all in like manner experienced 
what the apostle elsewhere calls " the flesh lusting 
against the spirit," and "the spirit against the flesh," 
Gal. v. 17. Have they not all of them some remain- 
ing carnality? The most improved saints compara- 
tively but babes in Christ, and not so spiritual as they 
should be? Nay, are they not even sold under sin? 
It is true, they do not voluntarily, with Ahab, sell 
themselves to do wickedly; this would denote the full 
dominion and power of sin; but they are sold as cap- 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 141 

tives, are sold against their will. Though for the ge- 
neral they make ever so great resistance, they have 
yet corruptions that do and will at times prevail 
against them, and bring them into captivity. Have 
they not all cause to acknowledge, that they do what 
they allow not, what they would not, and even what 
they hate? That they fall short of what they would 
do ? And that when they would do good, evil is pre- 
sent with them? That they find a law in their mem- 
bers warring against the law of their mind ? And don't 
they groan, being burdened, under a sense of what 
wretched men they are on these accounts? In other 
words, are there any of them that don't feel in them- 
selves sinful affections, sinful imperfections, and sin- 
ful actions, that are the grief and burthen of their 
souls? Here let the appeal be made to all the gene- 
rations of God's children, whether they do not find 
these things in themselves, even in their most watch- 
ful periods. I must needs say, it argues a dreadful 
ignorance of, or an unaccountable inattention to, the 
plague of their own heart, in them who have not a 
feeling and experimental apprehension of these things. 
It may therefore be justly presumed, that the apostle 
here complains of what every true Christian feels and 
laments. Or at least I may confidently say, that the 
experience of all the children of God is a refutation of 
the principal arguments against my interpretation of 
this chapter. 

It may be added, in the language of another, 
"Those objections are chiefly owing to a mistaken 
notion of the case described here, from verse 14th; as 
if the apostle spoke of gross sinning in practice, with 
only some feeble reluctance of his will, and habitually 
transgressing, in a course of outward actions, through 
the power of some conquering and ruling lust, against 
the dictates of his natural conscience. Whereas, in 
truth, he does not own a customary indulgence to any 
the least sin in external practice, much less to any 
great wickedness and gross sins of presumption. But 
he evidently speaks in his complaint, of unallowed 



142 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



frailties, or sins of infirmity, incident to the best of 
men. And if his language in representing the case 
seems too expressive and emphatical, we may fairly 
resolve this into his humility; a grace that always 
makes the Christian willing to see the worst of his 
case, and to lay himself low before God and man. 
From this principle, we must conceive it was, that 
this same apostle elsewhere describes himself under 
those debasing characters, < The least of the apostles 
— Less than the least of saints — yea, The chief of sin- 
ners.' Though an eminent example of holiness, yet 
being not already perfect, he readily confesses it; and 
under a humbling, affecting sense of his imperfections 
and remaining corruptions, he breathes out his com- 
plaints in very animated and striking forms of speech. 
However, his self-abasing expressions (taken in this 
view) do all of them well consist with the brighter 
and commendatory representations he sometimes 
makes of himself, when considering his case in another 
light; and they are all reconcilable with every Scrip- 
ture character of regenerate professors, as well as with 
the universal experience of real Christians, even the 
best upon earth. For do they not all own themselves 
conscious of i indwelling sin/ and 'fleshly lusts that 
war against the soul V Do not they all confess them- 
selves not as yet perfectly enlarged to run the way of 
God's commandments; their graces not as yet perfect- 
ly free in their exercise, but often under a very sensi- 
ble restraint, so that they cannot produce them into 
act, as they would, and ought; their corruptions in- 
sinuating and intermingling with their best perform- 
ances of duty ; their lusts, though by divine grace con- 
quered within them, yet striving still for the mastery; 
yea, sometimes usurping the throne seemingly, and 
acting the tyrant over them for a season, against the 
fixed judgment and settled bent of their mind and 
heart; which, in the account of gospel grace, is the 
man? Now, looking upon themselves, if tried by the 
law and justice, as liable to be ' condemned with the 
world,' they have therefore no hope of being < saved 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



143 



by any works of righteousness, which they have 
done,' but only look for mercy, * the mercy of the 
Lord Jesus Christ/ to be magnified in their deliver- 
ance out of the present state of imperfection. In the 
mean time their sins, yea, their unavoidable infirmi- 
ties, are their burden, under which they sigh and be- 
moan themselves; ashamed and grieved even for dis- 
allowed frailties, more than unregenerate sinners for 
their wilful and scandalous enormities. Is it any 
uncommon case for a child of God, in a repenting 
frame, passionately to lament in the strain of Rom. 
vii., judging himself for carnality, complaining of spi- 
ritual captivity, and crying out, ' wretched man 
that I am! who shall deliver me?' nor finding any 
refuge, but the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ? 
Where is there any injustice done to the inspired 
writer, or the least injury to Christianity, by suppo- 
sing this to be the very case the apostle had in view? 
Or what one word is there in all his description of 
the case before him, but may be fairly accommodated 
to this interpretation? And what occasion then to 
suppose the apostle uses such a personation here, as 
some suppose, transferring to himself those odious 
things which belonged only to an unregenerate legal- 
ist, and putting them in his own case, merely out of 
modesty, and to avoid giving offence to the party re- 
proved?" 

2. We find the apostle here giving characters of 
himself that are the distinguishing marks of a regene- 
rate state; characters, that do not, that cannot, agree 
to any unconverted person in the world. It is, for 
instance, the peculiar property of a child of God, to 
hate that which is evil; and to have a will present 
with him to that which is good. No unregenerate 
person is able truly to say, that "he would do that 
which is good; and would not do that which is evil." 
The conscience indeed, and the judgment of an unre- 
generate man, may in some sense be said to be against 
the sin; but his will is for it, and the lusts of a de- 
praved will, habitually govern the man; so that he 



144 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

always inclines to sin, in one kind or another, in one 
degree or another, and does always actually indulge 
himself in sin, except only when under some special 
restraints by shame or fear of punishment. He can 
never be said to hate sin; though he may hate the 
misery that is likely to be the consequence of it; but 
he rather hates the law, that punishes sin. And to be 
sure, it cannot be said of any unregenerate man, that 
he hates evil and would do good, indefinitely: that is, 
that he hates all evil, and would do all good, without 
any distinction or reserve; as the apostle here affirms 
of himself. No! there is some Delilah in reserve, 
some bosom-lust retained, some methods of vital 
piety (either of heart or life) rejected by the greatest 
proficients in morality among the unconverted world. 
None but the truly regenerate can say with David, 
" I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things, to 
be right; and I hate every false way," Psal. cxix. 
128. 

To this I may add, that it is the distinguishing cha- 
racter of a child of God, to " delight in the law of the 
Lord, after the inward man." An unregenerate man 
may by the lashes of an awakened conscience, and 
terrors of the law, be kept under some slavish re- 
straints, and be forced to some servile endeavours of 
obedience : but could he with a quiet conscience, and 
hopes of salvation, enjoy his choice, he would break 
through all these restraints, and always gratify his 
sinful and sensual inclinations. To have our inward 
man, our very mind and heart delighted in the law of 
God, is to have our souls delighted in a conformity 
to God; the law being but a transcript of his moral 
perfections. That is, in other words, it is to love God 
himself, to delight ourselves in his nature and govern- 
ment, to love to be like him in the inward man, hav- 
iag " the law written on the tables of our heart," 
which is the sum of all religion, the whole and only 
evidence of vital Christianity, all other marks and 
characters of a Christian indeed being contained in it. 
Whence it is, that the Psalmist so often mentions "his 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 145 

delight in God's commandments, which he had loved," 
as a mark of his uprightness. No unregenerate pro- 
fessor does really delight in God, as the holy and 
righteous Governor and Judge of the world; and 
therefore no unregenerate person can truly say, as 
the apostle here, " I delight in the law of God, after 
the inward man." 

I may likewise add, that it is the distinguishing 
character of a child of God, to groan under the bur- 
den of the body of death, to long for deliverance from 
it, and to have a war maintained between the "law 
of his members," and the "law of his mind." Awak- 
ened sinners may groan under a sense of guilt and 
danger; and have a war between their consciences 
and their lusts. But they are believers, and none 
but they, who groan under the burden of their heart- 
corruptions; and after a further progress in holiness. 
Unrenewed sinners may have a "law in their mem- 
bers," warring against their awakened consciences: 
but they have no contrary "law in their minds," no 
such habitual bent of soul, or stated and settled dis- 
position of their affections, as has the force of a law 
with them, and maintains a constant war with their 
inward corruptions, their vain imaginations, sinful 
appetites and passions. They do indeed love the 
Lord, that thus hate evil, Psal. xcvii. 10. And they 
who thus " fight the good fight of faith," will "lay 
hold on eternal life," 1 Tim. vi. 12. It is one charac- 
teristic of a true believer, that he resists sin, in all the 
lusts thereof, even the most secret, and hidden from 
the eye of the world. Every creature has its antipa- 
thies: the new creature, as well as any other; and as 
sin is the greatest contrariety to its temper and taste, 
to its interests and comforts, the Divine nature always 
is disposed to exert itself in an opposition to indwell- 
ing sin, studying to mortify it more and more. 

3. The apostle is heregivingthe character of a person 
who has a twofold principle in him, the one a govern- 
ing principle, that may be called himself: the other a 
subdued principle, which is "not he, but sin that 



146 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



dvvelleth in him." Now can any unconverted person 
in the world truly say, it is not he, that transgresseth 
the law, when the natural bent and disposition of his 
soul is to "evil, only to evil, and that continually," 
notwithstanding all the restraints of the law and 
checks of conscience, and when all the sins of his 
heart and life are imputed to him, and will be pun- 
ished upon him, if he remain in his present state ? 
Can any unconverted person in the world say, that 
he himself (all in him which in God's account can be 
called himself) serves the law of God, though with 
his flesh (his remaining carnal affections and appetites) 
the law of sin; when it is certain, that every uncon- 
verted man is, both with his mind and flesh, a servant 
to sin, and free from righteousness, as the apostle 
assures us, in the sixth chapter of this epistle, verses 
16, 17, 20. 

4. What justifies my interpretation heyond all rea- 
sonable opposition, is, that the apostle draws that con- 
clusion from those very characters here given of him- 
self, "There is therefore now no condemnation to 
them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after 
the flesh, but after the spirit: for the law of the Spirit 
of life, in Christ Jesus, hath made me free from the 
law of sin and death." chap. viii. 1, 2. Two things 
do here appear to me certain and unquestionable. 
One is, that the first verse of this 8th chapter is here 
represented (as plainly as any thing can be represen- 
ted by words) as a necessary consequence or just in- 
ference from the premises, and from the characters 
the apostle had there given of himself, and is there- 
fore a full proof, that every one in the same spiritual 
state described in the latter part of the preceding 
chapter, is in Christ Jesus, and freed from condemna- 
tion. " There is therefore now no condemnation," 
&c. Wherefore ? Because they who are in Christ 
Jesus are "freed from sin," and do "not walk after 
the flesh, but after the Spirit," as before described, 
and particularly because "they themselves do serve 
the law of God," as expressed in the verse imme- 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



147 



diately foregoing. This construction is necessary, to 
make the connection of this verse with what went be- 
fore, congruous and rational. Nay, it is the construc- 
tion which the apostle himself purposely leads us to, 
in the 2d verse. " For the law of the spirit of life, in 
Christ Jesus, hath made me free from the law of sin 
and death." As if he had said, they who are in 
Christ Jesus cannot be under condemnation, since they 
are made "free from the law (from the dominion, 
though not from the remains) of sin and death ;" 
which I have already shown you to be my case, in 
the foregoing description of my spiritual state and ex- 
perience, and in the characters I have given of myself. 
Another thing that appears to me most certain and 
evident is, that the apostle speaks of himself here (in 
this 2d verse of chapter viii.) in the same manner, 
and to the same purpose, as he spoke of himself in 
the latter part of the foregoing chapter; and that these 
words, with the following verses, are the sum and 
conclusion of that whole discourse. This was the 
point the apostle was undertaking to explain; this 
the subject of the preceding chapter, as I have already 
shown; in this he speaks the first person, as in the for- 
mer chapter; this is a natural and rational summon- 
ing up or drawing the conclusion of the whole, " The 
law of the spirit of life, in Christ Jesus, hath made me 
free from the law of sin and death." Whence it fol- 
lows, that those characters in the latter part of the 
seventh chapter, belong to none but such who are in 
Christ Jesus, and by him freed from condemnation, 
and from the law of sin and death. 

And now, I leave it to you, sir, to judge, whether 
we have not reason to conclude that the apostle is 
here speaking of himself, when in a renewed or rege- 
nerate state; and thereby representing the conflict 
which the children of God, in their highest attain- 
ments, have with their remaining corruptions; since 
there is so plain a transition, (by the change of the 
tense,) from considering what he once had been, to a 
representation of what he now was, at the time of 



148 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



writing this epistle. Have we not reason to conclude 
this, when all, (the very best,) of the children of God 
do always experience the same struggle with their 
corruptions as is here described? May we not con- 
fidently draw this conclusion, when we find that the 
characters here given are applicable to none but the 
regenerate only? None but they " hate that which is 
evil;" and have "a will present with them to that 
which is good." To be sure none but they hate all 
evil, and have a will to all good, without reserve or 
distinction. None but they "delight in the law of 
the Lord, after the inward man." None but they 
groan under the burthen of " the body of death;" and 
maintain a constant " war with the law of sin in their 
members." May we not safely maintain this con- 
clusion against all opposition, when we find a person 
described under the influence of a twofold principle, 
corruption and grace? The former so brought into 
subjection that its actings are not to be attributed, 
strictly speaking, to him, (being so contrary to the 
new man, his predominant principle, according to 
which God accounts of us, and denominates us,) but 
are imputable only to the remains of the old man, or 
indwelling sin. The latter having such an empire in 
his soul, as to be called himself, so that, (notwith- 
standing his corruptions and the outbreakings of 
them,) he can say, " I myself can serve the law of 
God." In fine, this conclusion most certainly appears 
to be necessary and unquestionable, that they must 
be in a regenerate state, who are delivered from con- 
demnation, and who "walk not after the flesh but 
after the Spirit;" and who are by "the law of the 
Spirit of life, in Christ Jesus, made free from the law 
of sin and death;" as the apostle shows to be his 
own case, according to the description he had before 
given of himself. To suppose that he here person- 
ates a professor unregenerate, must, upon the whole, 
appear utterly inconsistent with the case here des- 
cribed in these passages; and, therefore, such an ex- 
position, as altogether forced, is not to be received. 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 149 

But after all, you will, perhaps, object, that my in- 
terpretation tends to make men secure and careless, 
bold and presumptuous, in a state and course of sin. 

I answer, it is so far from this, that it has a direct 
contrary tendency. It is a solemn admonition to the 
children of God, to be upon their guard, since they 
have such a domestic enemy to deal with. And a 
like admonition it is to all careless, secure, and habit- 
ual sinners, not to flatter themselves with a vain pre- 
sumptuous hope of their regenerate state, on any pre- 
tences whatsoever. 

It is here the character of a Christian indeed, that 
he hates evil, all evil, without reserve. If, therefore, 
they who retain any favourite lust, and roll it as a 
sweet morsel under their tongue, cry peace to their 
souls, they are sleeping upon the top of a mast. There 
is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. The peace 
of such is all a delusion; and a most false, absurd, 
and dangerous peace. 

It is here likewise the character of a true Christian, 
that he does not allow so much as his imperfections; 
that when these prevail, they are without his consent, 
and against his will. These are what he would not, 
and among the evils which he hates. They therefore 
are entertaining but a vain dream of a safe state, 
who are knowingly and deliberately living in a way 
of sinning, and who customarily allow any moral 
imperfection. They will certainly in the conclusion 
be rejected, among the workers of iniquity. 

It is here also represented as the property of every 
sincere Christian, that he has a " will present," with 
him "to that which is good;" that "he consents to 
the law that is good;" and that "he delights in the 
law of God after the inward man;" that is, in other 
words, (as I have shown) he truly loves God and 
godliness. Here is therefore no foundation for them 
to think well of their state, whose whole religion is 
constrained by fear; and whose heart and affections 
are not sincerely engaged in the service of God. As 
for them who love the world and their idols more 



150 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

than God and a life of sincere universal obedience to 
him, such are in the " bonds of iniquity," and have 
"no part or lot in this matter." 

It is moreover given as the mark of a true Chris- 
tian, that he groans after deliverance from the body 
of death; not only from guilt and danger, but from 
the remainders of his corruption, and maintains a 
constant war against the " law of sin in his mem- 
bers." What encouragement is there therefore for 
such an one to hope well of his state, that does not 
make it his business to keep his heart, and to watch 
over his lips and life; that does not wrestle with God 
for deliverance from, and greater victory over his 
corruptions; and that does not look upon his remain- 
ing imperfections as the great burden of his life ? 

It is furthermore given in the character of the true 
Christian, that he thankfully expects this deliverance 
only by Jesus Christ. The apostle's answer to the 
question, " Who shall deliver me ?" is, " I thank God 
through Jesus Christ, our Lord." — I thankfully look 
unto God, in and through Jesus Christ, as a sure 
refuge in this difficulty; and as the fountain of life, 
from whence I may safely expect my needed sup- 
plies. All unbelievers, therefore, as excluded from 
any unjustifiable pretence to this character, have no 
room left them to think well of their state. 

In fine, the Christian here described, is one who 
"with his mind does himself serve the law of God." 
He has had " God's law put into his mind," and he 
" serves God with his spirit." His whole man, all 
that can be called himself, is engaged in a life of 
gospel obedience. What can they, therefore, have to 
do with the peace and comfort, which is here offered 
to Christians indeed, who are grossly defective, par- 
tial, and unsteady in their obedience; whose minds 
are wavering, and whose hearts are divided between 
the service of God and their idols? "A double- 
minded man is unstable in all his ways; and let not 
that man think that he shall receive any thing of the 
Lord," James i. 7, 8. 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 151 

Now, to conclude this long letter, I will only fur- 
ther observe, that you may here find, in a summary 
and concise representation, the true characters of the 
children of God; as well as matter of conviction to 
those who cannot, and of consolation to those who 
can, apply these marks to themselves. If upon an 
impartial examination, you can justify your claim to 
the characters here given, let no man rob you of the 
comfort and hope thereby set before you. But if you 
cannot find such marks in yourself, never rest till you 
obtain these evidences of a converted state. 

That the Lord may comfort your heart, and estab- 
lish you in every good word and work, to do his will, 
is the prayer of, 

Sir, Yours, &c. 



LETTER XT. 

THE DOCTRINE OF A SINNER'S JUSTIFICATION, BY THE IMPUTED 
RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST, EXPLAINED AND VINDICATED. 

Sir — It is indeed as you represent it, "a matter of 
great consequence, to have a right view of the way 
and means by which God will be reconciled to you, 
and by which you may have a title to life eternal." 

" You are, as you have all along been, in 
great difficulties on the question: and cannot see 
into the doctrine of a sinner's justification by the 
imputed righteousness of Christ. You have been 
lately reading upon that subject; and find many 
arguments' against it that you cannot get over. 
Your author represents it as unscriptural and unrea- 
sonable: you therefore desire me to give you a right 
view of that doctrine, and to answer your objections 
against it." 

There is, indeed, sir, no cause for you to "suspect, 



152 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



that you shall wear out my patience. " I gladly em- 
brace the opportunity to do any thing in my power 
to give you satisfaction, and to assist you in your 
greatest concern, which you have reason to be most 
solicitous about. I shall, therefore, according to your 
desire, endeavour in the first place to give a brief view 
of the doctrine of our justification; by the imputed 
righteousness of Christ, before I proceed to consider 
your objections against it. 

I shall first consider what we are to understand by 
justification, and in what sense that expression is 
used in Scripture. Should I herein follow some of 
our wrangling disputants, I know not how many dis- 
tinct meanings of the word justification I might set 
before you. But this would be to darken counsel, by 
words without knowledge; the term having one in- 
variable meaning, throughout the whole Bible. It 
always (as far as I have been able to observe) con- 
stantly signifies being " esteemed, declared, manifest- 
ed, or pronounced righteous." This is what the ori- 
ginal word, both in the Old and New Testament, 
naturally signifies; and in this sense only, it is always 
used. I need not therefore undertake to give instances 
of the use of the word in this sense, since in all in- 
stances it is used in this sense only. This, I believe, 
must be acknowledged by every one, that will tho- 
roughly and impartially examine the case. I think 
there can no text be found, where justification is used 
for making us inherently righteous. 

But though this word has one invariable significa- 
tion, it is used in Scripture -in a threefold respect : 
either for our present justification in the sight of God, 
for our justification before men and, our own con- 
sciences, or for our justification at the tribunal of our 
Judge at the last day. It is the first of these that falls 
under our present consideration: which is to be con- 
sidered as our acquittance from guilt, and our accep- 
tance with God as righteous in his sight. It is to be 
considered as a sentence of absolution and accept- 
ance by the great Judge of the world. As justification, 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 153 

therefore, is always considered in Scripture as a fo- 
rensic or juridical sentence, it should be carefully dis- 
tinguished from the infusion of a principle of grace, or 
inherent righteousness. Justification is usually in 
Scripture opposed to condemnation. As this latter 
therefore does not imply the rendering men wicked 
and guilty, but pronouncing them so: even so the for- 
mer likewise cannot mean rendering men righteous, 
but sententially declaring and pronouncing them so. 
Were this duly attended to, many of the objections 
made against our doctrine of justification by the 
righteousness of Christ, would vanish of course. You 
will be pleased, therefore, all along to carry this in 
your mind, that I am not considering how we should 
become inherently righteous, by a renovation of our 
nature: but how we may be acquitted from guilt, 
and accepted as righteous, by the sentence of our glo- 
rious Judge. 

I proceed to consider what we are to understand by 
the imputation of Christ's righteousness. 

To impute, is to judge or esteem any matter, cha- 
racter, or quality, whether good or evil, to belong to 
a person as his. And may either refer to what was 
originally his, antecedently to such imputation, or to 
what was not antecedently his, but becomes so by 
virtue of such imputation only. The Scriptures abound 
with instances of both these sorts of imputation. 

We have many instances in Scripture of imputing 
that to a person, which was originally his own, and 
performed by him antecedently to such imputation. 
Thus, sin, is said to be imputed to a sinner, when he 
is judged or treated as an offender. "Let not my 
Lord," says Shimei, "impute iniquity unto me," 2 
Sam. xix. 19. And thus righteousness is imputed to 
the saint, w-hen he is judged or acknowledged right- 
eous (in a qualified sense) with relation to a particular 
fact, done in conformity to the preceptive part of the 
divine law. "Then stood up Phineas, and executed 
judgment, and it was imputed to him for righteous- 
ness," Psalm cvi. 31. But this is not the imputation 

11 



154 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

now to be considered, which respects a justification, 
that is proposed as the relief of a sinful, perishing 
world, against the penalty of the condemning law, 
and implies a change of the sinner's state, from guilt 
to grace, from death to life, in a relative sense. 

I proceed then to observe that also may be said to 
be imputed to a person, which was not his own ori- 
ginally or antecedently; but is judged and esteemed 
to belong to him, and is his on account of such impu- 
tation only. Thus, a debt is imputed to a surety; and 
the surety's payment of a debt is imputed to the prin- 
cipal debtor, and is pleadable by him in discharge 
from his creditor's demands. " If he have wronged 
thee, or oweth thee ought, (says Paul of Onesimus) 
put that on my account, (Greek) impute it unto me." 
Thus our sins are imputed unto Christ; inasmuch as 
he, in the character of our surety, has undertaken to 
discharge those debts to the justice of God. And 
thus his righteousness is imputed unto us; it having 
been wrought out in our place and stead, and given 
to God in payment on our behalf. 

These things being premised, we are to understand 
the imputation in question, to be God's gracious dona- 
tion of the perfect righteousness of Christ to believers, 
and his acceptation of their persons as righteous, on 
the account thereof. Their sins being imputed to 
him, and his obedience being imputed to them, they 
are in virtue hereof both acquitted from guilt, and ac- 
cepted as righteous before God. 

We are not therefore to understand our justification 
by the imputed righteousness of Christ as implying 
and supporting, that God does esteem believers to be 
what indeed they are not. He esteems them to be 
poor, sinful, imperfect men, who have no otherwise 
satisfied the claims of his justice, and the demands of 
the law, than by the obedience of their surety: Which 
is really by a gracious imputation become theirs, and 
they are on the account thereof become indeed right- 
eous in God's sight, although antecedent to that impu- 
tation, they were legally condemned criminals, and 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 155 

though they yet remain inherently imperfect and sinful 
creatures. 

We are further to consider, that this righteousness 
of Christ is imputed to none but believers, but is (as 
the apostle expresses it) revealed from faith to faith. 
It is not imputed before we have faith, as the Anti- 
nomians dream, nor is the imputation delayed till the 
fruits and effects of faith in an obedient life appear, 
as some other seem to suppose, but it is imputed at 
and upon our believing. It shall be imputed, if we 
believe, Rom. iv. 24. Faith is the receiving an offer- 
ed Saviour (John i. 12,) in his person, his offices, and 
all his benefits, and therefore it is a receiving his 
righteousness, which is one of his benefits, freely of- 
fered in the gospel, to all that will accept it. 

So I am prepared to observe to you, that we are to 
understand our justification by the imputed righteous- 
ness of Christ to signify and imply. " A gracious sen- 
tence of God, whereby a sinner antecedently guilty 
in his sight, is upon his believing in Christ, acquitted 
from guilt, accepted as righteous, and entitled to all 
the benefits of the covenant of grace, on account of 
what Christ has done and suffered for him/' 

Thus, Sir, I have endeavoured in as few words as 
possible to give you a just and clear view of the doc- 
trine before us; and am now ready to consider your 
objections. 

You first object, that "the imputation of our sins 
to Christ, or the imputation of Christ's righteousness 
to us, are no where mentioned in the word of God: 
that the terms and expressions used in this case, are 
certainly of human invention ; and the doctrine there- 
fore to be suspected, as having its origin rather from 
our scholastic divines, than from the oracles of God." 

Your first supposition is, that the imputation of our 
sins, to Christ, is no where mentioned in the word 
of God. If you mean by this, that we no where in 
Scripture find that proposition, in so many express 
words, that our sins are imputed to Christ, this is true: 
but I hope to show you it is altogther impertinent. 
But if you mean by this, that we can no where find 



156 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

full, clear, and undeniable evidence from Scripture, 
of the imputation of the sins of believers to Christ, I 
will endeavour immediately to convince you of your 
mistake. 

The whole Levitical dispensation was purposely de- 
signed to represent this comfortable truth to us. This 
was the end of all their sacrifices, and bloody obla- 
tions for the remissions of their sins. They did not 
imagine, or at least God did not design they should 
imagine, that their sin and guilt were actually, to all 
intents and purposes, transferred from the offender to 
the victim; but they were hereby led to look to Christ, 
the Antitype of all their sin-offerings, in faith and 
hope, that their sins should all be imputed to him; 
and themselves through the merit of his sacrifice, be 
acquitted from guilt. This design of all their expia- 
tory sacrifices was more clearly exhibited to them, in 
the institution of the scape-goat; where the imputa- 
tion of our sins to Christ was in the most lively man- 
ner represented. " And Aaron shall lay both his 
hands upon the head of the live goat; and confess 
over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, 
and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting 
them upon the head of the goat; and shall send him 
away, by the hand of a fit man, into the wilderness; 
and the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities, 
unto the land not inhabited." Lev. xvi. 21, 22. Here 
was a plain and express communication, or transfer- 
ring of guilt from God's people to the scape-goat. All 
the iniquities of God's people, all their transgressions 
in all their sins, were laid upon his head. He bore 
upon him all their iniquities,' or in other words, their 
sins were imputed to him. Now you cannot sup- 
pose, that all the hopes of the children of Israel ter- 
minated upon this goat. You must suppose, that they 
looked to the great Antitype, to whom their guilt 
was indeed to be transferred, and their sins imputed; 
and from whom they expected their discharge and 
justification. Hence it plainly appears, that all the 
hopes, which the church of God in all the ages and 
dispensations thereof have entertained, of the forgive- 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 157 

ness of sin and reconciliation to God, was through the 
imputation of their sins to Christ, the substance of all 
the Levitical shadows, and the only true sin-offering. 
The same doctrine which was so plainly pointed 
out by these typical rites, is fully and abundantly 
confirmed by very many plain and clear passages of 
Scripture, which cannot, with any appearance of pro- 
priety, be construed in any other sense, than that I 
am pleading for. Thus, Isaiah iii. 6. 11: " The Lord 
hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all." " For he 
shall bear their iniquities." 2 Cor. v. 21: " For he 
hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, 
that we might be made the righteousness of God in 
him." Gal. iii. 13: "Christ hath redeemed us from 
the curse of the law, being made a curse for us." 

1 Pet. ii. 24: « Who his own self bare our sins in his 
own body on the tree." Many other texts to the like 
purpose might be quoted; but these are every way 
sufficient to decide this point. 

If the iniquity of us all could be laid upon Christ, 
and he bear our iniquities, no other way but by im- 
putation, it then appears from Isa. liii. that our ini- 
quities were imputed to him. And I think, the ad- 
versaries of this doctrine can make no rational pre- 
tence to any other way, in which our sins can be said 
to be laid upon Christ, and he be said to bear our ini- 
quities. 

If Christ has been made sin for us, according to 

2 Cor. v. he must be made sin for us, (and treated as 
a sinner,) either by his own personal fault, or by the 
imputation of our sin to him. I can think of no other 
possible way in which this can be supposed, but one 
of these two. Now the blasphemy of the former sup- 
position obliges us to reject it with abhorrence; and 
therefore the latter must be allowed. 

If Christ hath been made a curse for us, according 
to Gal. iii. he must then have the violation of the law 
imputed to him; otherwise the curse of it could not 
in justice have been inflicted upon him. To inflict 
the curse, or penalty of the law, upon one no ways 
chargeable with the violation of it, is contrary to the 



158 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

justice both of God and man. And I can imagine no 
other way, by which our blessed Saviour could be 
chargeable with the violation of the law of God, and 
thereby be obnoxious to the curse of it, but through 
the imputation of our sin and guilt to him. 

If our blessed Saviour bore our sins in his own 
body, and was punished for our sins upon the cross, 
according to 1 Pet. ii. our sins then must be laid to 
his charge, and punished upon him, either by impu- 
tation or some other way. Here then let our adver- 
saries speak sense, and tell us, if they can, what other 
way this could possibly be done. 

Pardon me, Sir, if I am forced to tell you, that it 
is too trifling an evasion to be adopted by men of 
learning and sense, to urge against us, that the word 
imputation is not used in this case in Scripture, when 
so many expressions are used in Scripture, which 
fully and necessarily imply it, and are of the same 
significancy. True, we do not read in express words 
that our sins were imputed to Christ; but we do read 
in express words, that our iniquities were laid upon 
him; that he bore them; that he was made sin, or 
legally reputed a sinner, on the account of them; that 
he bore them in his own body, or was punished for 
them, upon the cross; and bore the curse of the law, 
which we had violated. And if all this do not amount 
to the same thing as the imputation of our sins to 
Christ, I must for ever despair of understanding the 
meaning of the most plain and familiar expressions. 

Dear Sir, allow me the freedom to observe to you, 
that you have been guilty of innumerable sins. If 
these have not been imputed to Christ, if he hath not 
borne your sins, if he hath not satisfied the divine jus- 
tice on account of them, they must yet be imputed to 
you, and you must bear your iniquity yourself; you 
must yet be under the guilt of all your sins, and under 
all the curses of the broken law. A thought which will 
administer but little comfort here, and less at the tri- 
bunal of Christ, if this should then be found to be 
your case. A thought big with horror! 

I now proceed to consider whether the "imputa- 






FAMILIAR LETTERS. 159 

tion of Christ's righteousness to us," is no where 
mentioned in the word of God. I must here again 
acknowledge, that this proposition, " Christ's right- 
eousness is imputed to believers," is no where to be 
found in the Scriptures, in express terms. But then 
we have so many full and clear testimonies in Scrip- 
ture, to the doctrine contained in that proposition, that 
there can be no reason to call the truth of it into ques- 
tion. Thus, Jer. xxiii. 6, " This is the name whereby 
he shall be called, The Lord our Righteousness." 
Rom. iii. 25, 26, " Whom God hath set forth to be a 
propitiation, through faith in his blood, to declare his 
righteousness for the remission of sins; to declare at 
this time his righteousness, that he might be just, and 
the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." Rom. 
v. 18, 19, " Therefore, as by the offence of one, judg- 
ment came upon all men to condemnation, even so 
by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon 
all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's 
disobedience, many were made sinners: so by the 
obedience of one shall many be made righteous." 
Rom. viii. 3, 4, " God sending his own Son in the 
likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in 
the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be 
fulfilled in us." Rom. x. 4, " For Christ is the end 
of the law for righteousness, to every one that be- 
lieveth." 1 Cor. i. 30, "But of him are ye in Christ 
Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and right- 
eousness, and sanctification, and redemption." 2 Cor. 
v. 21, "That we might be made the righteousness of 
God in him." 

I might have added very many more texts of Scrip- 
ture to the same purpose: but how can more be 
needful, to satisfy any man, of the truth of our justi- 
fication by the imputation of Christ's righteousness, 
who attentively reads, and impartially weighs, these 
cited texts, without prejudice against the doctrine, or 
a bias to some favourite scheme? Let it be consider- 
ed, here we are expressly assured, that Christ is the 
Lord our Righteousness; that it is by his righteous- 
ness we obtain remission of sins; that by his right- 



160 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

eousness God is the justifier of him which believeth in 
Jesus; that by his righteousness we have justification 
of life, and by his obedience we are made righteous; 
that by his being sent for sin and condemning sin, the 
righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us; that he is 
the end of the law for righteousness to the believer; 
that he is of God made unto us righteousness; and 
we are made the righteousness of God in him. Is it 
possible, that the doctrine I am pleading for, should 
be expressed in plainer and stronger terms? The 
word impute, or imputation, is not indeed found in 
these texts; but the thing intended by it, is plainly 
found there. Let that be allowed, and I shall main- 
tain no controversy with you about the meaning or 
use of a word. Let it be allowed, that Christ has ful- 
filled the righteousness of the law for believers; that 
his righteousness has become theirs; that they have 
thereby remission of sins, are justified before God, 
and made righteous: let these things be owned, and 
it will not be of so great importance, whether you 
consent to the propriety of the word imputation, in 
this case, or not. Now these things you must allow, 
or deny the very language of the quoted texts: and 
by allowing these things, you will allow all that is 
intended by those who plead for the imputation of 
Christ's righteousness. But why must the word im- 
pute, or imputation, be found fault with? Be pleased 
to read the fourth chapter to the Romans, and observe 
how often righteousness is there said to be imputed 
to them that believe. Though the righteousness there 
said to be imputed, is not expressly called the right- 
eousness of Christ, yet that is fully implied. For it 
was a righteousness, whereby Abraham was justified, 
ver. 2. A righteousness without works, ver. 6. A 
righteousness by which our sins are covered, that the 
Lord will not impute them, ver. 6, 7. A righteous- 
ness by which God is the Father of all them that be- 
lieve, ver. 11. And a righteousness through which 
Abraham had the promise that he should be the heir 
of the world, ver. 13. Now can any man pretend to 
a personal righteousness which all these characters 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 161 

are fairly applicable to ? Or can these characters justly 
be applied to any other, save the righteousness of 
Christ only? 

I hope, by this time, you are convinced, that the 
Scripture is not a stranger to the doctrine of justifica- 
tion by the imputed righteousness of Christ. I would 
therefore, Sir, intreat you to consider, it is of infinite 
consequence, that you yourself be not a stranger to 
that faith, by which you may receive this righteous- 
ness, may have this imputed to you, and may in vir- 
tue of this be accepted (your person and your sincere 
performances) as righteous before God. 

But I have been too tedious in my answer to your 
first objection. I therefore hasten to consider what 
you have further to object against this important 
truth. 

" Your author," you tell me, "argues, that if faith 
be imputed for righteousness unto the justification of 
a sinner, then Christ's obedience cannot be imputed 
to that end; unless our faith and Christ's righteous- 
ness be supposed to be the same thing: That there is 
nothing more evident, than that faith (which is so 
often said to be imputed for righteousness, Rom. iv.) 
is properly our own personal righteousness: That the 
word faith, (in Greek,) signifies faithfulness, as well 
as believing; and includes evangelical obedience in 
the nature of it: That God deals with us as moral 
agents ; and imputes to us the righteousness which 
we personally have, and not that which we person- 
ally have not." 

I take this to be the most plausible, and the most 
weighty objection against the doctrine under conside- 
ration, that has ever been made: and it therefore de- 
serves to be distinctly taken notice of. I shall accord- 
ingly endeavour to show, that the faith which is im- 
puted unto righteousness (for so, I think, should the 
words be rendered) does not include obedience in the 
nature of it. I shall proceed to prove, that the faith 
which is imputed to believers unto their justification, 
is not their own personal righteousness. And then 
endeavour to make it evident, that if your construe- 



162 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



tion of those passages in Rom. iv. were granted, it 
would make nothing against the doctrine of our jus- 
tification by the imputed righteousness of Christ. 

I am first to show, that the faith which is imputed 
unto righteousness, does not include obedience in the 
nature of it: considering faith in its reference to justi- 
fication, or, (as some express themselves) in its office 
of justifying. For, though a true and lively faith has 
its influence in purifying the hearts and lives of men, 
and producing obedience; yet it is of the very nature 
of faith, to exclude all opinion of merit in ourselves, 
to respect the promise of God's mercy, and directly 
send us to Christ for justification and acceptance with 
God, through his merits and righteousness. So that 
justifying faith as such, does not include in its nature 
works of obedience. I need not use many arguments 
to prove this; the apostle having in the plainest and 
strongest terms declared it. It is the very scope and 
design of the apostle's argument in this fourth chap- 
ter to the Romans, to prove, that we are justified by 
faith without works. This was the argument of the 
preceding chapter; which is confirmed and illustrated 
in this, by the examples of Abraham and David. 
" For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath 
whereof to glory: but not before God. For what 
saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God; and it 
was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him 
that worketh, is the reward reckoned not of grace, 
but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but be- 
lieveth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith 
is counted for righteousness. Even as David also 
describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom 
God imputeth righteousness, without works," Rom. 
v. 2, 6. 

The apostle is here using a variety of unanswer- 
able arguments, against the doctrine I am now im- 
pleading. He argues, that if Abraham's faith had 
included works or obedience in it, he would have had 
whereof to glory. All works, all acts of obedience 
whatsoever, are formally our own, being done by 
ourselves; and therefore may be gloried in, as such: 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 163 

but Abraham had not whereof to glory before God; 
and therefore Abraham's faith did not include works 
of obedience in the nature of it, considering it as 
counted to him for righteousness. He next shows us, 
that if we had the benefit of justification as a reward, 
upon the account of any works, of any obedience 
whatsoever, the reward would not be of grace, but of 
debt. For by whatever law, by whatever covenant- 
transaction, a reward becomes due to any sort of 
works, or obedience, it is however become due; and 
may be claimed as a debt, upon the performance of 
such works, or obedience. Whence it follows, that 
no sort of obedience either legal or evangelical, can 
be included in the nature of a justifying faith, as such, 
if we are justified of grace, not of debt. He shows us, 
that where faith is imputed, unto righteousness, it is 
imputed to him that worketh not, that doeth no works 
of righteousness at all, dependeth upon none at all of 
his own doing, in order to his justification: and there- 
fore it cannot possibly be, that such faith has any sort 
of works, any sort of obedience, included in the na- 
ture of it, as it is a justifying faith. It justifies only 
as it receives a divine gift, freely offered; or in the 
apostle's language, as it believeth on him who justi- 
fieth the ungodly. Here is no room left for any eva- 
sion. After ever so many critical distinctions are 
made, Him that worketh not, is him that worketh 
not. He moreover shows us, that the faith under 
consideration is a believing on him that justifieth the 
ungodly; and therefore cannot include evangelical 
obedience in the nature of it; unless evangelical obe- 
dience, and ungodliness, be the same thing. It is true, 
that a person when justified, or when exercising that 
faith through which he is justified, ceases to be in his 
state and Habitual course ungodly; for he has a faith 
which not only sends him to Christ for justification, 
but for sanctification too, and which not only em- 
braces the promise, but the precept too, and is a vital 
active principle of obedience. But then there is no 
moment of time intervenes between his state of un- 
godliness and his justification. He further shows, 



164 FAM|LIAR LETTERS. 

that God imputeth righteousness, for our justification, 
without works: and therefore obedience cannot be 
included in the nature of justifying faith, as such; 
unless obedience be without works also. Here like- 
wise the expressions are strong and plain. There is 
no room for shift, or cavil. When all the most plausi- 
ble pretences in the world are made to avoid the force 
of these expressions, without works, is without works 
still. 

How admirable does the pretence, which I am op- 
posing appear, when the apostle does, with his own 
pen, in as strong and pointed language as can be used, 
obviate the pretence, reject it, and refute it; and that, 
too, in the very context upon which it is founded. I 
need therefore offer no other arguments to clear this 
point : it is effectually done to my hand by the apos- 
tle himself: and his reasoning ought to take place 
against all objections. Could we be justified by any 
sort of works or obedience, personally performed by 
us, we should have whereof to glory: and were our 
justification a reward given on account of any works 
of obedience of ours, it would be of debt, and not of 
grace. But both these things are inconsistent with 
God's gracious dispensation towards us. He impu- 
teth righteousness to him that worketh not; he justi- 
fieth the ungodly; he imputeth righteousness without 
works: and therefore the faith, which is imputed unto 
righteousness, does not, cannot, as such, include any 
sort of obedience in the nature of it. 

I proceed now to prove to you, that the faith 
which is imputed to believers, unto their justification, 
is not their own personal righteousness. This will 
evidently appear, if youduly consider these following 
arguments: 

That righteousness, by which a sinner is justified, 
is the righteousness of God. "The righteousness of 
God is revealed from faith to faith," Rom. i. 17. " We 
are made the righteousness of God in him," 1 Cor. v. 
21. " The righteousness of God, which is by faith of 
Jesus Christ, unto all, and upon all them that be- 
lieve," Rom. iii. 24. Now it cannot be true, that the 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 165 

righteousness of God, and our own inherent personal 
righteousness are the same thing. If it be pretended, 
that faith is the gift of God, and as such it is the right- 
eousness of God, the answer is easy. Faith, consid- 
ered in itself, as a principle, is ours subjectively; and 
considered in its exercise, it is ours formally, or our 
own personal act; and in that respect, so far as it is 
any righteousness at all, it is our own personal right- 
eousness : and therefore as it is our own personal right- 
eousness, it can no more properly be said to be the 
righteousness of God, than our breath can be said to 
be the breath of God, our words to be the words of 
God, or our locomotion to be the motion of God. For 
our power to breathe, to speak, or to move, is as truly 
the gift of God, as our power to believe. Besides, all 
pretences of this kind are utterly excluded by the 
quoted texts. For if faith cannot with any propriety 
be said to be revealed from faith to faith; if we cannot 
with any propriety say, that faith is a righteousness 
by faith of Jesus Christ; then faith is not the righteous- 
ness of God, by which we are justified: and therefore 
we cannot be justified by faith, as it is our own inhe- 
rent personal righteousness, and yet be justified by the 
righteousness of God. 

Moreover, we are said to be made righteous by the 
obedience of Christ, Rom. v. 19. And to be justified 
by the blood of Christ, Rom. v. 9. But faith, so it is 
our personal inherent righteousness, is in no respect 
the obedience of Christ, or the blood of Christ: And 
therefore faith, as it is our personal inherent right- 
eousness, can in no respect be that righteousness, 
by which we are justified, or made righteous before 
God. 

Furthermore, faith as it is our personal inherent 
righteousness, is our own: but the righteousness by 
which we are justified, is not our own. " Not having 
my own righteousness," Phil. iii. 9. And therefore, 
faith, as our personal inherent righteousness, does not 
justify us before God. 

I will only add, if faith, as it is our inherent per- 
sonal righteousness, cannot answer the demands of 



166 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

the moral law, it cannot justify us, consistently with 
the perfections of the Divine nature: but the former 
is true, and therefore the latter. If " there had been 
a law given, which could have given life, verily right- 
eousness should have been by the law," Gal. iii. 21. 
But this was impossible in the case of fallen man, as 
being utterly inconsistent with the Divine perfections. 
I think, no man will pretend, that our personal in- 
herent righteousness can answer the demands of the 
moral law. I shall therefore only endeavour to show 
you, how it is utterly inconsistent with the Divine 
perfections, that sinners should be justified by any 
righteousness which will not answer the demands of 
the moral law. 

It cannot be agreeable to the justice of God, that 
we should be justified by any righteousness, which 
will not answer the demands of the moral law. For 
which reason, " God sending his own Son, in the like- 
ness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the 
flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be ful- 
filled in us," Rom. viii. 3, 4. It is by "declaring 
Christ's righteousness (by which the demands of the 
moral law are satisfied) that God can be just, and yet 
the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus," Rom. iii. 
26. The glorious God justly gave us the law, as the 
rule of our obedience; justly required our perfect con- 
formity to it; and justly annexed the penalties to it 
in case of disobedience. The law was founded upon, 
and flowed from the justice of the Divine nature. 
Obedience to it was required, and the penalties of it 
Avere annexed, by the rectoral justice of the great 
Governor of the world. And the justice of God is 
now the same that it was when this law was first 
given, and with the same inflexible severity requires, 
that it be fulfilled, and not a tittle of it pass away, or 
be destroyed. The same justice, which annexed the 
penalties, must be satisfied for the violation of the law, 
in such manner as that the honor of a righteous judge 
may be secured, and the penalty of the law fulfilled. 
Whence it follows, that no personal inherent right- 
eousness of ours whatsoever can justify us before God, 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 1 67 

consistently with his rectoral justice; because it can- 
not answer the demands of the moral law. 

It is altogether impertinent, to pretend, that Christ 
has procured easier terms, than obedience to the law 
of nature. And that our sincere obedience to the 
gospel is now the condition of our justification. For 
the question still recurs, which way is the moral law 
fulfilled? Has Christ fulfilled that for us, and in our 
place and stead: or has he not ? If he has, we then 
have a better righteousness, to plead for our justifica- 
tion, than any personal inherent righteousness of our 
own. But if he has not, the law has still its full chal- 
lenges upon us (penal, as well as preceptive) notwith- 
standing any righteousness of our own, and we can- 
not be justified upon this bottom, consistently with 
the justice of God. 

I must further observe, it cannot- be agreeable to 
the holiness of God, that sinners should be justified 
by any righteousness whatsoever, which does not 
fully answer the demands of the moral law. The 
moral law is, as it were, a copy or transcript of the 
holiness of God; and must therefore be a perpetual 
and unalterable rule of righteousness to man. There 
can strictly be no righteousness but by a complete 
comformity to this law; and hence none can, con- 
sistently with God's holiness, be accepted by him as 
righteous, who have not a full conformity to this ori- 
ginal and only rule of righteousness, to plead in their 
favour. If, therefore, we can have no such perfect 
conformity to the moral law, to plead before God, on 
account of our own personal inherent righteousness, 
or any other way, but on the account of the imputed 
righteousness of Christ only, then faith, as it is our 
own personal inherent righteouness, cannot justify 
us, consistently with the rectoral holiness of God. 

I may add, it cannot be agreeable to the truth of 
God, that we should be justified by any righteous- 
ness, which will not fully answer the demands of the 
moral law. God has pronounced every one cursed, 
who "continues not in all things written in the book 
of the law, to do them." If, therefore, we have not 



168 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

a full conformity to "all things written in the book of 
the law," if we have not a perfect obedience to its 
precepts, nor a full satisfaction for the violation of 
them, to plead in our favour, then either we must lie 
under the curse, or God' must break his word. The 
latter you dare not suppose; and the former is, in its 
nature, absolutely inconsistent with our justification. 

I know of but one answer, that can with any colour 
of reason, be made to these arguments; and that is, 
that Christ's fulfilling the law for us is our legal right- 
eousness; as freeing us from the rigorous demands, 
and from the curses of the moral law; but that our 
faith, including sincere obedience in its nature, is our 
evangelical righteousness, whereby we ourselves per- 
sonally fulfil the gospel, and are hereby justified 
before God. According to this distinction, Christ's 
righteousness is the matter or ground of our justifica- 
tion, taken negatively, as it lies in absolving us from 
the curse of the law, and declaring our sins forgiven; 
but our own righteousness the matter or ground of 
our justification, considered positively, as it lies in 
pronouncing us righteous, and entitled to the bless- 
ing. Now the least that can be said against this no- 
tion, is, that it eclipses the honour of Christ as the 
Lord our righteousness, and leaves man whereof to 
glory. But the consideration of this, will of course 
bring me to the last thing I proposed in the answer 
to your objection. 

If your construction of those passages in the fourth 
chapter to the Romans were granted; and faith, as 
including evangelical obedience in it, is imputed to 
us for righteousness, yet this would make nothing 
against our justification by the imputed righteousness 
of Christ. For allowing, that faith be our personal 
evangelical righteousness, and that as such it will jus- 
tify us, or render us acceptable to God, so far as it 
goes, we must yet have Christ's righteousness im- 
puted to us, or else lie under the curse of the moral 
law, as I have already proved. 

If faith, including sincere obedience in it, be im- 
puted to us for righteousness, this our personal right- 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



169 



eousness must be imputed to us, not for what it is 
not, but for what in truth it is, that is, an imperfect 
righteousness. God cannot judge that to be perfect, 
which is really imperfect. For his judgment ever is 
according to truth. And a weak imperfect faith (as 
that of the best is) cannot constitute a perfect right- 
eousness. Whence it follows, that we cannot on ac- 
count of this our personal righteousness be effectually 
and thoroughly justified; we cannot be perfectly ac- 
quitted from guilt and condemnation; we cannot be 
entitled to complete happiness and eternal life, by 
virtue of our own righteousness: and therefore it is 
of the last necessity that we have some other and bet- 
ter righteousness, even a perfect one, to plead; or else 
we must perish eternally. At least, we cannot at 
present be justified, on the footing of our own right- 
eousness, so long as we are in this imperfect state: 
but must wait for justification of life, as a distant 
future benefit, not to be received till we are made 
perfect in holiness. Whereas, by the whole current 
of Scripture it appears, that justification is a present 
benefit, taking place in the life which now is. Be- 
lievers have not a mere promise that they shall be 
justified: but such are in the most express terms rep- 
resented in Scripture as already justified, as actually 
pardoned and "made accepted in the beloved," as 
" passed from death to life," and reinstated in God's 
special favour, so that "there is now no condemna- 
tion to them," but they are now the heirs of salvation. 

Thus, Sir, I have given you some of the reasons I 
have against your author's interpretation of those 
passages in the fourth chapter to the Romans. Many 
other arguments might be added, further to illustrate 
the truth; and to refute all pretences of this kind; 
but I am afraid I have been already too tedious; and 
I hope, what is already said may prove sufficient for 
your satisfaction. 

You desire me " to give you a brief view of my sen- 
timents of those passages; and to show you in what 
sense I understand faith to be imputed to us for right- 
eousness. You tell me, that you cannot understand 

12 



170 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

how faith's being imputed to us for righteousness, 
can intend that Christ's righteousness is imputed to 
us." 

The common interpretation of these passages by 
our Protestant divines, from the beginning of the re- 
formation, is, that faith is imputed for righteousness, 
not subjectively or as it is an act of our own, and our 
personal righteousness: but objectively, or as it hath 
respect to its object, and apprehends the righteous- 
ness of Christ. That is, as faith is the band of the 
union between Christ and the soul, and interests us in 
him and his justifying righteousness, it is " imputed 
to us for righteousness." Thus, it is the righteous- 
ness of faith, as faith is the term or mean of our in- 
terest in Christ's righteousness: and yet it is the right- 
eousness of Christ, as he was the immediate subject 
and author of it, or as it was wrought out by him. 
Our faith is in a like manner said to be " the faith of 
Jesus Christ" (Rom. iii. 22) as Christ's righteousness 
is here said to be the righteousness of faith. Our faith 
is not called the faith of Christ, as it is his personal 
act, (Christ does not believe for us) but as it receives 
the Lord Jesus Christ, and gives us an interest in him. 
Nor is our faith our righteousness, as it is our per- 
sonal act (our faith has not fulfilled the law, nor an- 
swered the demands of vindictive justice) but it is 
our righteousness, as it interests us in what Christ 
has done and suffered for us, whereby the law is ful- 
filled, and justice satisfied. In the former case, the 
object is put for the act: the faith of Christ, for be- 
lieving in Christ. And there can no reason be given, 
why with the same propriety, in the latter case, the 
act may not be put for the object; the righteousness 
of faith, for righteousness by or through faith: and 
why faith may not be counted for the righteousness 
obtained by believing. It is remarkable, that the apos- 
tle expressly speaks of faith in this view, every where 
else besides this context: and therefore he ought to 
be here also understood in this sense, to make his 
doctrine consistent. In this sense faith is our justify- 
ing righteousness; as a condemned malefactor's ac- 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 171 

cepting his prince's pardon is his deliverance from 
execution: or as a beggar's accepting an alms is his 
preservative from starving. As in these cases it is 
not the act of receiving Christ but the benefit received, 
that is the preservation : So in that case it is not the 
act of receiving Christ, but the benefit received by 
faith, that is the believer's righteousness. 

But " you cannot understand how faith's being 
imputed to us for righteousness, can intend that 
Christ's righteousness is imputed to us." Well then, 
let it be even supposed, that faith is here taken sub- 
jectively; and that it was Abraham's faith itself, con- 
sidered as an act of his own, that was imputed to 
him. It may notwithstanding be set in such a view, 
as will secure the truth of the doctrine I am pleading 
for, if the text be considered as it is in the original 
Greek. "His faith was imputed unto righteousness." 
That is, as he was reckoned, judged, or esteemed of 
God to be a sound believer, so the faith which was 
imputed or reckoned to him, was unto righteousness; 
was instrumental to his attaining of righteousness; 
was the means that " by the righteousness of one the 
free gift came upon him, unto justification of life;" or 
in other words, was the means of his interest in that 
righteousness of Christ, by which he was justified. 
In this sense, the imputation respects his faith; and 
intends an approbation and acknowledgment of it as 
true and sincere, and effectual to its proper purposes. 
He was approved of God, as having a true- and sound 
faith, a faith effectual, as an applying means, unto 
righteousness, and thereby unto justification; a faith 
which interested him in Christ and his righteousness, 
and thereby entitled him unto acceptance with God, 
and eternal.life. He was judged to be such a believer, 
as to have a right according to the terms of the cove- 
nant of grace, to " have righteousness imputed to him 
without works," as it is expressed in verse 6th. Ac- 
cording to this view of the case, imputation is con- 
sidered in this context in both the senses, before 
explained. Abraham was reckoned or esteemed a 
true believer; in consequence whereof, a justifying 



172 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

righteousness was imputed to him, " even the right- 
eousness of God without the law." 

I think, I have before sufficiently proved to you, 
that we are justified by the righteousness of Christ 
received by faith, and cannot be justified by any per- 
sonal inherent righteousness of our own. This has 
been illustrated from the nature of things, and con- 
firmed by full and plain Scripture testimony: and 
this upon an impartial search and inquiry, I think, 
would appear to you to be the whole scope and de- 
sign of the gospel of Christ. I have now removed 
your great difficulty out of the way, and shown you 
how this doctrine, so plainly taught every where else, 
may be true in a full consistence with those texts, 
which in your apprehension seemed to make against 
it. I would now propose one method more, to con- 
firm you in the important truth under consideration: 
and that, if duly attended to, cannot fail. 

Allow me, Sir, the freedom to advise you, that you 
place yourself in the presence of the infinitely great 
and glorious God, and give yourself to meditation, 
on such subjects particularly as may tend to enlighten 
and establish you in the present truth. With this 
view solemnly contemplate God's infinite justice, his 
infinite purity and holiness, his infinite abhorrence of 
sin and sinners, especially as to be seen in the glass 
of Christ's sufferings. Also contemplate your own 
state and moral character, both by nature and prac- 
tice. Contemplate the sinful defects of the best works 
of righteousness that ever you have done, the pollu- 
tions mingled with the best duties that ever you per- 
formed. Contemplate the unbelief which accompa- 
nied the highest actings of faith you were ever capa- 
ble of; the formality and hypocrisy which has mixed 
with your devoutest prayers; the desultory thoughts 
and dead frames which have accompanied you to the 
most sacred ordinances of God's house; the frequent 
violations of the most solemn resolutions and cove- 
nant obligations by which you have bound your soul 
to the Lord. And in a word, contemplate the great- 
ness of your sins, their vast number, and dreadful 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



173 



aggravations; with the nothingness of your best per- 
formances and highest attainments in religion; how 
much you have done against God, and how little for 
him. And then consider what plea you have to 
make before this infinitely great, this absolutely just, 
this perfectly pure and holy God, for justification in 
his sight, and acceptance with him. Will you plead 
your acting of faith in him and his promises? Alas, 
how will your prevailing unbelief fly in your face, 
and put you to silence! Will you plead your per- 
sonal obedience, and works of righteousness that you 
have done? Alas, how will a vast degree of sin and 
unrighteousness cover and confound you! Will you 
plead your sincerity before God? But what will you 
do with that prevalent formality and hypocrisy, which 
your own conscience will accuse and convince you 
of? Will you not be forced at last to cry out with 
David, "If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquity, 
Lord, who shall stand?" — and with Job, "Behold, I 
am vile! What shall I answer thee? I will lay mine 
hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken; but I 
will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no 
further." Will you not then see your necessity of a 
more perfect righteousness, to plead before God, than 
any personal inherent righteousness of your own, to 
cover your dreadful sinfulness and infinite defects, 
and to render you acceptable to God, notwithstand- 
ing all the challenges which the justice, the holiness, 
and the law of God, together with your own con- 
science, have against you? Surely, on due reflection, 
you must see yourself in perishing necessity of Christ, 
and his righteousness, to recommend you to the Di- 
vine favour. 

Dear Sir, I intreat you to consider in season what 
you must consider first or last: and let you and I be 
now solemnly careful to lay our foundation sure, that 
we may meet with comfort at the great trial, and re- 
ceive the " well done" of our Judge, in that awful 
and great day; which is the prayer of, 

Sir, Yours, &c. 



174 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



LETTER XII. 



WHETHER WE ARE JUSTIFIED BY FAITH AND OBEDIENCE TO 
THE GOSPEL, AS A NEW LAW OF GRACE. 

Sir — I can with greater encouragement use my en- 
deavours to remove your difficulties, and to satisfy 
your desires, since "you do not throw difficulties, 
either in your own way or in mine, out of any con- 
ceived prejudice, or from ostentation, or wrangling 
disposition, but from a sincere desire of building your 
hope upon the sure foundation laid in Zion." Would 
all men act from views so worthy of this great con- 
cern, it would be a likely means, not only to put an 
end to the prevailing confusions among us, but to 
give a triumphant progress to the truth, and to esta- 
blish men in the faith delivered to the saints. 

" You have (you say) been so sensibly affected by 
my last, and are so fully convinced of the danger of 
mistaking your way, that you are the more solicitous 
to be set right, and have your remaining difficulties 
removed; and therefore you entreat me to bear with 
you, while you propose your strongest objection 
against the doctrine I suppose to be of so great im- 
portance. Your author (you say) tells you that our 
blessed Saviour has purchased for us new and easier 
conditions of life; and instead of the sinless obedience 
required by the moral law, he has now given us a 
new law of grace, which only requires faith with sin- 
cere obedience to the gospel,. as the condition of our 
justification and acceptance with God. Whence it is 
a necessary consequence, that our justification, or title 
to eternal life, depends not upon Christ's righteous- 
ness imputed to us, but upon our faith, including sin- 
cere obedience to the gospel, as the condition to which 
it is promised: and that as our obedience is imperfect, 
so our state of justification is imperfect also, and we 
shall not be perfectly justified till our obedience be 
perfected." 

That I may distinctly consider this case, I shall en- 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



175 



deavour in the first place, to make some proper in- 
quiries and reflections upon this scheme, and offer 
some objections against it, and then take notice of the 
arguments which you have brought to support it. 

I would first inquire, where you find any thing in 
Scripture of our Saviour's purchasing this new law of 
grace, whereby faith and sincere obedience are made 
the conditions of our justification? Perhaps your au- 
thor is silent upon that head; and, for my part, I do 
not know that I have ever read any thing at all about 
it, in the word of God. We read often, of our blessed 
Saviour's "giving himself a ransom for us;" of his 
" being a propitiation for our sins;" of his being " the 
Lord our righteousness;" of his having "brought in 
everlasting righteousness;" of " his being the end of 
the law for righteousness, unto every one that be- 
lieveth ;" and of his being " of God made unto us wis- 
dom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and re- 
demption;" with many other like representations of 
his procuring a justifying righteousness for us. But 
of his purchasing this new law of grace, not one 
word is to be found in the Scriptures. May we not 
justly suppose, that if this scheme were right, we 
should have it plainly represented to us in the oracles 
of God, and not to be left to grope in the dark, and 
to find out by far fetched consequences, what is the 
foundation of our practice and hope? How vast is 
the difference between the one and the other side of 
this question ! On the one side, we have, (or at least 
we think we have) very numerous, plain, express 
Scripture authorities for our justification by the right- 
eousness of Christ. On the other side, there is a deep 
silence throughout the whole word of God, about any 
purchase of a new law, such a law of favourable 
terms; and about those new conditions of our justifi- 
cation, those easier terms, our faith and sincere obedi- 
ence. This scheme therefore may be presumed to be 
at best of human invention. 

I would further inquire, whether in the nature of 
things there can be any justification at all, upon such 
conditions as you speak of? I have shown you, that 



176 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



justification is always to be understood of our being 
esteemed, declared, manifested, or pronounced right- 
eous. Now then, if our evangelical obedience be im- 
perfect, we are still unrighteous, by our remaining sin 
and disobedience against this (imaginary) new law of 
grace; and consequently God cannot judge and de- 
clare us righteous by virtue of our obedience. For 
" his judgment is according to truth," as I observed 
to you in my last letter. Certain it is, that no man 
upon earth is, or can be perfectly sincere, perfectly 
believing, or perfectly obedient to the gospel. His 
defects will be greater than his attainments, and his 
disobedience will be greater than his obedience, under 
his highest improvements, as long as he lives. He 
knows nothing of himself, that does not know this to 
be fact. He must therefore ever be more unrighteous, 
than righteous, as long as he lives; and accordingly 
he that can make no wrong judgment of things, will 
judge and esteem him to be as he is, so that the man 
must live and die unjustified, and appear at the bar 
of Christ in the same state. 

To speak of an imperfect or defective state of jus- 
tification, seems to be a most egregious trifling in this 
awful concern. We either are justified, or we are 
not, either God does pronounce us righteous, or he 
does not. Now, if he does, we are free from guilt, 
and fully accepted of him; but if he does not, we are 
under guilt, and a sentence of condemnation. There 
can be no medium, no middle state between that of 
justification and that of condemnation. However, 
were it even granted, that we might be imperfectly 
justified, in proportion to our conformity to this sup- 
posed new law, we must at the best live and die but 
imperfectly justified, and (as I before observed) must 
appear at the bar of Christ in the same state in which 
we die, and consequently be but imperfectly justified 
for ever, without some further remedy be provided 
beyond the grave. Thus, this doctrine of justifica- 
tion upon the footing of personal obedience to a new 
law, is better adapted to a Popish purgatory than to 
the Protestant profession and hope. 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



177 



I would again inquire, whether it be possible in 
the nature of things, that we may have any sincere 
obedience in this new law of grace, before we are jus- 
tified; and consequently whether it is possible that 
we may be justified by sincere obedience, before we 
have any acting of gracious sincerity, or any true obe- 
dience at all ? faith indeed does precede our justifica- 
tion, in order of nature; but not in time. There is 
no moment of time, wherein a man is a true believer, 
and yet not justified before God : and therefore, there 
cannot be a moment of time for faith to be operative, 
and bring forth the fruits of new obedience, prior to 
our justification. "The righteousness of God is by 
faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that 
believe; for there is no difference." Rom. iii. 22. 
This is the constant language of the Scripture, " We 
are justified by faith ;" and " he that believeth, is not 
condemned." Therefore, as there can be no con- 
demned, no unjustified believer, at any time what- 
soever, nor any time at all for either legal or evan- 
gelical obedience between the first act of faith and 
our passing out of a state of condemnation into a 
state of justification, hence our sincere obedience must 
be the consequence, and therefore cannot be the con- 
dition of our justification. 

Besides, as there can be no sincere obedience ante- 
cedent to our interest in Christ and union to him, it 
hence appears that our sincere obedience must ne- 
cessarily be the consequence of our justification; and 
therefore cannot be the condition of it. I think, every 
body will allow that man to be in a justified state, 
who is interested in Christ, and united to him. Now, 
our Lord himself assures us, that we cannot bring 
forth the fruits of new obedience, till we are united to 
him. John vi. 4, 5. " Abide in me, and I in you. As 
the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide 
ill the vine: so no more can ye, except ye abide in 
me. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same 
bringeth forth much fruit: for without me, ye can do 
nothing." Or, as it may be rendered, "Severed from 



178 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



me ye can bear none," can bring forth no fruit at all.* 
There cannot be a greater solecism, than to speak of 
a sincerely obedient Christless sinner: and therefore 
there cannot be a greater inconsistency, than for that 
to be the condition of our justification, which is the 
fruit and effect of our interest in Christ, and so the 
consequence of our justified state. 

These, Sir, are some of the many inconveniences, 
that attend this your scheme: which one would think 
should awaken your attention, and make you look 
well about you, before you venture your eternal in- 
terests upon such an unscriptural and inconsistent 
foundation. 

I proceed now to offer some other objections against 
the doctrine you propose. And here one obvious ex- 
ception against this doctrine is, that it "perverts the 
gospel of the grace of God," and makes it properly 
and strictly a covenant of works. The condition of 
the covenant of works was this; " The man that doth 
these things, shall live by them." Rom. x. 5. And 
the condition of our justification, according to this 
new scheme is this: " The man that doth these things" 
(i. e. that performs sincere obedience to this new law 
of grace) shall live by them." Where then is the 
difference, between the old covenant of works, and 
this new imaginary law of grace ? What gave de- 
nomination to the covenant of works, was, that it re- 
quired works of obedience as the condition of it. And 
does not this pretended new law of grace require 
works or obedience as a covenant-condition ; and does 
it not therefore deserve the denomination of a cove- 
nant of works, as much as the other? If we run a 
parallel between the first covenant and this imagina- 
ry new law of grace, they will be found in all things 
to agree, as a covenant of works. Thus, the old cove- 
nant of works was a law with sanctions, requiring 
obedience, as the matter of that righteousness, by 
which man was to be justified. And this imaginary 

* Compare the original with John xx. 7, and James iii. 12. 



FAMILIAR LETTER 



179 



new covenant is likewise styled a law of grace, which 
requires sincere obedience, as the condition of our 
justification. Justification, according to the tenor of 
the old covenant of works, was of debt: and thus it 
is likewise according to the tenor of this pretended 
new law of grace. An obligation to give a reward 
for service performed, makes it a debt, upon the ser- 
vice being performed; and it can be claimed as such, 
whatever proportion there is between the reward, 
and the service by which it becomes due. The old 
covenant of works, when it exacted obedience, yet 
gave no new strength for the performance of it: and 
thus it is likewise in the present case. For unless we 
are united to Christ, and interested in his righteous- 
ness, we can have no security of new supplies of 
grace and strength as we need them. Whatever 
pretences to gracious assistance, the patrons of this 
new law of grace may make; they do not pretend 
that God has by covenant secured to us fresh sup- 
plies of grace, for persevering obedience. According 
to the tenor of the old covenant of works, justification 
was suspended, forfeited, and lost, upon the non-per- 
formance of the required obedience: and just thus it 
is likewise according to the tenor of this pretended 
new law of grace. I must therefore again demand, 
wherein this new law does any way differ from a 
proper covenant of works? 

If it be pretended, that the conditions of this new 
covenant are much easier than the condition of the 
old covenant of works, which required perfect, and 
this but imperfect obedience, as the term of our ac- 
ceptance with God: I answer, this supposition would 
not alter the general nature of the covenant. Works 
are works, obedience is obedience, whether perfect 
or imperfect. The condition of each covenant is 
works; and works come into the very formal na- 
ture of each, as they are covenants. And therefore 
how the one can be either more or less a covenant of 
works than the other, I know not. Besides, it is a 
great mistake, to suppose, that the conditions of this 
imaginary new law or covenant are easier than the 



180 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



conditions of the old covenant of works. The case is 
much otherwise. He with whom the first covenant 
was made, had sufficient power and ability to fulfil 
all its conditions, and fully to come up to all its de- 
mands. But fallen creatures are utterly incapable to 
perform sincere, though imperfect, obedience; they 
have naturally no sincerity, no truth in the inward 
parts, no principle of new obedience; nor does this 
pretended covenant supply them with any, as before 
observed. And therefore whatever pretencesare made, 
that these conditions are easier, they are indeed rather 
harder to be complied with, than the conditions of the 
first covenant. It is more difficult for a man without 
legs to walk, than for a perfect vigorous lively man 
to run. 

If it be further pretended, that this law of grace 
differs from the covenant of works, in that faith is, 
according to this scheme, made the principal condi- 
tion of the new covenant: this is but an empty pre- 
tence. For faith is here considered but as an act of 
obedience, and as being seminally or virtually all 
evangelical obedience, including the same in the na- 
ture of it; so that this faith is nothing else but a con- 
stitutive part and active principle of the works re- 
quired, and not distinct from them in the office of jus- 
tifying. And was not Adam as much obliged by the 
covenant of works, to act faith in the conditional pro- 
mise of life, and to subject himself to the authority of 
the legislator, as we can be by this new law of grace? 
Let the case therefore be looked upon in any view, 
in every view; and this pretended new law, or cove- 
nant, of mild and favourable terms, will be found to 
be as truly a covenant of works, as the first covenant 
made with Adam. There will indeed appear some 
circumstantial differences, between that covenant and 
this. For instance, that covenant was appointed and 
enjoined by God as a sovereign: whereas this, (as is 
pretended) was purchased by the blood of Christ, and 
is the law of a Mediator. That covenant admitted 
no renovation, when violated: but this leaves room 
for recovery, upon condition of repentance and future 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 181 

obedience, to such transgressors, as do not happen to 
die in the sad interval of unbelief and insincerity. 
And that covenant required perfect; this accepts of 
imperfect obedience. But these things are only cir- 
cumstances; and enter not into the nature of a cove- 
nant-condition. From whatever inducement God was 
pleased to propose these conditions; whatever be the 
consequence of their violation; and whatever degree 
of obedience be required in order to justification; yet 
(according to this new divinity) sincere, persevering 
obedience is the stated condition of each of these 
covenants. This, and this only, was what rendered 
the first covenant a covenant of works; and there- 
fore, when all the pretences are made, that can be 
made, the second covenant, upon this scheme, is as 
strictly and properly a covenant of works, as the first 
was. 

You seem to be aware of this consequence, and 
therefore demand of me, " Why it may not be sup- 
posed agreeable to the divine perfections, to require 
of man a life of obedience now, proportioned to his 
present abilities, as the condition of his justification, 
as well as to make with him a covenant of works at 
first, proportioned to his primitive powers and capa- 
cities ?" To which I answer, 

\ have already shown you, that it is impossible 
that any covenant requiring sincere obedience, as the 
condition of our justification, can be proportioned to 
our present abilities. For we have no natural ability 
for any sincere obedience at all. " We are dead in 
trespasses and sins," Eph. ii. 1. " The carnal mind in 
us is enmity against God, and is not subject to the 
law of God, neither indeed can be," Rom. viii. 7. 
But this is what I may have further occasion to incul- 
cate, before I have finished this letter. 

I would now only add, that the Scriptures repre- 
sent to us an irreconcilable opposition, between our 
being saved by works, and our being saved by the 
grace revealed in the gospel. I have shown you in 
my last, how strongly faith and works are opposed 
to each other, with respect to our justification. And 



182 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



I must also observe, that works and grace are in like 
manner opposed, as irreconcilably inconsistent with 
each other, in this grand concern. " And if by grace, 
then it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no 
more grace: But if it be of works, then it is no more 
grace: otherwise work is no more work," Rom. xi. 
6. "By grace are ye saved through faith; and 
that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of 
works, lest any man should boast," Eph. ii. 8, 9. 
"Now to him that worketh, is the reward reckoned, 
not of grace, but of debt," Rom. iv. 4. Here are the 
most plain, express, and peremptory declarations, that 
can be made in human language, of the utter incon- 
sistency of works and grace, the impossibility of their 
concurring in the affair of our justification and interest 
in God's saving mercy. Whence it plainly appears, 
that we must be saved by grace alone, or by works 
alone. And if the former, it must be by the first 
covenant of works. But if the latter, then not by any 
works, by no obedience at all, as the condition of our 
justification and acceptance with God. 

You have indeed undertaken to obviate all such 
arguments against your scheme, by pretending that 
" where works are rejected as having no hand in our 
justification, and as being inconsistent with the grace 
of the gospel, it must be legal obedience which' is 
there intended, whereas, the obedience pleaded for, 
is evangelical. It is not supposed, that we are jus- 
tified by obedience to the moral law: but by sincere 
obedience to the gospel institutions." 

But I entreat you to consider, that if we are indeed 
justified by sincere obedience to the gospel, we must 
be justified by the works of the law, by obedience 
to the moral law; and therefore not by the faith of 
Christ, as revealed in the gospel. This appears evi- 
dent from such considerations as these. The moral 
law is the very rule and standard of all our obedience 
to God; if, therefore, we obtain justification by sin- 
cere obedience, we must obtain it by a conformity to 
the moral law, without which there can be no obedi- 
ence at all, and therefore no sincere obedience. All 



/ 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



183 



the duty and obedience which we can owe to God as 
rational creatures, is comprised in that comprehen- 
sive summary of the moral law, to " love the Lord 
our God with all our heart, mind, and strength, and 
to love our neighbour as ourselves:" and there neither 
is, nor can be any obedience sincere and acceptable 
to God, but what flows from this principle of love, 
the source of all practical conformity to the moral 
law. Besides, the gospel does not make void the 
law, as a rule of obedience; but establishes it; and, 
therefore, our justification by sincere obedience to the 
gospel, is a justification by the deeds of the law, or by 
a conformity to it as the rule of life. It is no just ob- 
jection against this, that there are some positive pre- 
cepts in the gospel, which are not discoverable by the 
light of nature, nor directly required by the moral 
law; for though these positive duties, such as receiv- 
ing baptism, and the Lord's Supper, and faith in 
Jesus Christ, the Mediator, considered as an act of 
obedience to the gospel command, be not directly re- 
quired, yet they are by necessary consequence en- 
joined in that fundamental statute of the moral law, 
" Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only 
shalt thou serve." Moreover, our Lord Jesus Christ 
wrought out the work of redemption for us, "that 
the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us," 
Rom. viii. 4. If therefore he wrought out our re- 
demption in order to procure justification for us on 
the condition of sincere obedience, then our sincere 
obedience is a " fulfilling the righteousness of the law 
in us." For it can no other way be fulfilled in us, 
upon that supposition. This then, I think is a plain 
case, that we must upon this scheme be justified by 
the works of the law, by a personal conformity to it, 
and by our own fulfilling the righteousness of it. 
Here is no place for your distinction of legal and 
evangelical obedience. All obedience is legal, when 
performed from legal motives and to a legal end, as 
it is if performed in order to our obtaining justifica- 
tion and acceptance with God, upon like conditions 
with those proposed in the moral law ; which I have 



184 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



already shown to be the case here before us, accord- 
ing to this scheme of a new law of grace. 

Here it will therefore be proper to pause a little, 
and consider whether a depending upon such legal 
obedience for a claim to God's favour, can be consist- 
ent with our salvation by the faith of Christ, as re- 
vealed in the gospel. The apostle is full and plain 
upon this head. " Therefore by the deeds of the law 
shall no flesh living be justified in his sight. But 
now the righteousness without the law is manifest, 
being witnessed by the law and the prophets," Rom. 
iii. 20, 21. " Knowing that a man is not justified by 
the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, 
even we have believed in Jesus Christ; that we might 
be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works 
of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh 
be justified," Gal. ii. 16. " But Israel which follow- 
ed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to 
the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they 
sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of 
the law," Rom. ix. 31, 32. "And be found in him, 
not having mine own righteousness, which is of the 
law; but that which is through the faith of Christ, the 
righteousness which is of God by faith," Phil. iii. 9. 

But you have another answer to make to such texts 
as these, which are so strongly pointed against any 
dependence upon legal obedience. "There are some, 
you tell me, who plead, that the legal obedience, or 
the works of the law, which the apostle opposes to 
the grace and faith of the gospel, intends no more 
than a conformity to the ceremonial law: and in that 
view of the case, those texts of Scripture, wherein 
such legality is condemned, are no ways inconsistent 
with, or opposite to, the doctrine you are pleading 
for." 

I thought I had fully obviated this objection in one 
of my former letters to you, wherein I endeavoured to 
set before you the apostle's scope and design in his 
epistle to the Romans, especially in the seventh chap- 
ter: and if you will review that letter with proper 
attention, I think you will find sufficient matter of 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 185 

satisfaction. It is strange, that any man who has 
ever read that epistle to the Romans, wherein the 
case before us is so distinctly considered, can espouse 
such a trifling pretence, as this to me most evidently 
is. The apostle there speaks of a law, by which " the 
doers (supposing there were any) shall be justified 
before God," (chap. ii. 13) of a law, which the Gen- 
tiles may (in part, at least) discover by the light of 
nature, and thereby be in some measure a law to 
themselves, verse 14. But can any man pretend, that 
we could be justified before God by an observance of 
the ceremonial law? or that the Gentiles, without re- 
velation, could have understood the ceremonial law, 
so as to have been a law to themselves? The apostle 
is there treating of a law, by which " both Jews and 
Gentiles are all under sin," and by which they had 
" the knowledge of sin," chap. iii. 9; 20, and vii. 7. 
But could the Gentiles be under sin, or have the 
knowledge of sin, by the ceremonial law, which was 
no law to them? How then could they be capable of 
any transgression of it? The apostle there treats of a 
law, whereby "every mouth may be stopped; and all 
the world become guilty before God :" and a law 
which is "established by faith," chap. iii. 19, 31. 
Neither of which can in any sense be true of the cere- 
monial law. The apostle instances in moral precepts, 
as belonging to the law which he treats of, chap. ii. 
21, 22. and vii. 7. The apostle exemplifies the works 
of the law, of which he treats in the case of Abraham, 
(chap, iv.) who lived hundreds of years before the ex- 
hibition of the ceremonial law: and therefore they 
could not be the works of the ceremonial law, that 
are there opposed to faith. I may add, the apostle 
treats of a law, to which the believing Romans had 
been married, chap. vii. 4. A law, " the righteous- 
ness of which must be fulfilled in us," chap. viii. 4. 
A law, according to which " the man that doth these 
things, shall live by them," chap. x. 5. Gal. iii. 12. 
A " law which if the uncircumcision keep the right- 
eousness of, his uncircumcision shall be counted for 
circumcision," chap. ii. 26. "A law which worketh 

13 



186 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

wrath," chap. iv. 15, and a law, by which " we are 
under the curse for sin," Gal. iii. 10. None of which 
characters are properly applicable to the ceremonial 
law. Upon the whole, then, it is evident, even to de- 
monstration, that it is the moral law, of which he 
"concludes that a man is justified by faith without 
the works of the law; that a man is not justified by 
the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ: 
and if righteousness came by the law, then Christ is 
dead in vain." In a word, all dependence for justifi- 
cation upon any works, either of the ceremonial or 
moral law, is directly opposite to the grace of the gos- 
pel, and to the way of salvation by the faith of Jesus 
Christ. 

But you tell me, that "if it be allowed to be the 
works of the moral law, to which the apostle refers, 
it must imply an apprehension and vain imagination 
of a perfect conformity to that law. And that the 
apostle only condemned the hope of those, who im- 
agined that they had merited salvation, by their per- 
fect obedience to the moral law." 

This (if possible) is a more trifling pretence than 
the former, for which there is not the least shadow of 
a foundation. The Jews and Judaizing Christians, 
knew themselves to be sinners. They had the Bible, 
which every where taught them their imperfect and 
sinful state. Their continual expiatory sacrifices, 
their laying their sins upon the head of the scape goat, 
their annual confessing themselves sinners on the day 
of atonement, with all their legal purifications, were 
continual monitors to them of the imperfections of 
their obedience. And as this was the case of the Jews, 
we may more strongly conclude that the Gentiles, 
newly converted from their demon-worship, could 
make no such pretence. So that had the apostle only 
disputed against this pretence, he had only contended 
with his own shadow. He condemns our dependence 
upon the works of the law; and is not our imperfect 
obedience, as truly the works of the law, as perfect 
obedience could be? Can it be supposed, that de- 
pending upon perfect obedience, which fulfils the law, 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 1 87 

will condemn us, but that to depend upon imperfect 
obedience, which does not fulfil the law, will not con- 
demn us in the sight of God ! 

Indeed, Sir, I cannot but compassionate the case of 
those men, who by so many artful shifts and evasions 
are putting some gloss or other upon such numerous, 
clear, and plain texts of Scripture, to make them con- 
sistent with their beloved schemes; and perhaps to 
keep their consciences easy, in a dependence upon 
their own obedience for their justification. But I 
have been too long upon this head. I must therefore 
more briefly mention some other just prejudices 
against this scheme. 

Another exception then to this scheme is, that it is 
inconsistent with, and repugnant to, the various re- 
presentations which the Scriptures give us of the 
redemption by Christ, and of the method in which 
our salvation is wrought out by him. " He was 
made to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we 
might be made the righteousness of God in him," 2 
Cor. v. 21. "He his own self bare our sins, in his 
own body on the tree," 1 Pet. ii. 24. Now how can 
it in any sense whatever be possibly true, that our 
Lord Jesus Christ was made sin for us, unless it be 
understood in the imputative sense ? Or, that he bare 
our sins in his own body, if he only undertook to 
purchase for us a grant of pardon and reconciliation 
with God, upon the condition of our sincere obedi- 
ence; and unless our sins were imputed to him? He 
is likewise said to give his life a ransom for us, Mat. 
xx. 28. And can prisoners be said to be ransomed 
out of their enemy's hands, who are only put under 
advantages to work out their own liberty and deliv- 
erance ? Upon the payment of a ransom, the consent- 
ing captives are immediately released ; and as the pro- 
phet expresses it with respect to the case before us, 
liberty is proclaimed to the captives. He is more- 
over represented as an atonement for our sins; and 
an atonement which believers have actually received. 
"By whom we have received the atonement," Rom. 
v. 11 . And can Divine justice be satisfied for our sins; 



188 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

and we not freely acquitted and justified ? Can we have 
received the atonement by faith, when it yet depends 
upon our future conduct, and upon our sincere obe- 
dience, whether we shall ever receive the benefit of it ? 
He is also represented, as having "redeemed us from 
the curse of the law, being made a curse for us," Gal. 
hi. 13. And how can it with any propriety be said, 
that believers are actually redeemed from the curse, 
when they are still under the curse, and. must con- 
tinue so until by a course of sincere persevering obe- 
dience, they get themselves acquitted and justified? 
Or how could our blessed Saviour be made a curse 
for us, when neither our guilt was imputed to him; 
nor his sufferings were imputed to us ? He might in- 
deed upon this supposition be said to suffer for our ad- 
vantage and benefit, but he could not be made a curse 
for us, in our stead, when no curse due to us was laid 
upon him ; nor we freed from any curse by his suf- 
ferings, without procuring our deliverance by our 
own sincere persevering obedience. He is likewise 
represented as our surety, a surety of a better testa- 
ment, Heb. vii. 22. And has the surety paid the 
debt; but the bond not cancelled, nor the debtor re- 
leased from payment ? Does divine justice demand 
the payment of the debt in order to satisfaction, and 
the performance of the conditions in order to our jus- 
tification, of both the surety and the principal debtor? 
He is moreover represented as u the Lord our Right- 
eousness," Jer. xxiii. 6. And is said " to be made of 
God unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sancti- 
fication, and redemption," 1 Cor. i. 31. "He is our 
peace," Eph. ii. 14. But I know not how Christ can 
be ours for any of these purposes, unless upon our re- 
ceiving him by faith, these benefits are with him freely 
given us, actually imputed or imparted to us, and 
we considered as invested with them, and partakers 
of them. For instance, can Christ be our righteous- 
ness, and we, notwithstanding, have no righteousness 
that will justify us before God, till we have wrought 
out a righteousness of our own, by a persevering 
course of sincere obedience? Can he be our peace, 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 189 

and we not be at peace with God upon our faith in 
him, until by a course of sincere obedience we are 
justified and interested in the Divine favour? The 
time would fail me, should I particularly insist upon 
all the various representations of Christ's redemp- 
tion in Scripture; and show they are all directly re- 
pugnant to this scheme of yours. I shall therefore 
mention but an instance or two more; and then sub- 
mit it to your own serious reflection. We are said 
"to be justified by his blood; and reconciled to God 
by his death," Rom. v. 9, 10. But can we be justi- 
fied by his blood, and yet justified by our own obe- 
dience ? Are we reconciled to God by the death of 
Christ, and yet not reconciled to God, but by a con- 
tinued progress of our own obedience! Dare you, 
Sir, venture to attribute that to your own obedience, 
which is attributed by the Spirit of God to the blood 
arid death of Christ ? 

But perhaps you will make the same remarks upon 
what I have now offered, as you did upon my last, 
and tell me, that " your author does indeed suppose 
some conditions of our interest in the benefits pro- 
cured by Christ for us; and do not they who are of 
the other side of the question also suppose our in- 
terest therein to be conditional? Do not they suppose 
faith to be the condition of our interest in Christ, and 
all the benefits he had purchased for us? Where then 
is the difference? Why is a conditional interest in 
the benefits purchased by Christ so very offensive in 
the one scheme, and so innocent and inoffensive in 
the other?" 

In answer to this, you must allow me the freedom 
to tell you, that this plea takes its rise from a very 
great inattention to the subject before us. You know, 
Sir, that I have, in my former letters, largely and par- 
ticularly shown you, that faith is no otherwise a con- 
dition of our interest in Christ, and the benefits of his 
redemption, than a beggar's receiving an alms is a 
condition of his having the benefit of it; or than a 
condemned malefactor's accepting a free pardon is 
the condition of his reprieve from execution, and res- 



190 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

toration to his prince's favour. And is there no dif- 
ference between partaking of a free gift, on no other 
condition than a thankful acceptance, and having the 
offer of a favour on the condition of long continued 
services, of very difficult and uncertain performance ? 
Is there no difference between expecting justification 
from no righteousness of our own, but only from the 
righteousness of Christ, received by faith, and our 
supposing this alone an insufficient foundation of con- 
fidence, and therefore look to some righteousness of 
our own as the condition of our acceptance with God ? 
The difference is just as great as between any other 
contradictory propositions. Upon the one supposi- 
tion, Christ himself has performed all the proper con- 
ditions of our justification, and freely bestows the be- 
nefit, on our grateful acceptance: whereas, upon the 
other supposition, Christ has not performed the con- 
ditions of our justification, but only procured for us 
the privilege to perform them ourselves. Upon the 
one supposition, we are justified on account of Christ's 
obedience; but on the other supposition, we are justi- 
fied on the account of our own obedience. Upon the 
one supposition, Christ has merited justification for us 
"without works; but upon the other supposition, he 
has merited justification for us by our works. And 
in fine, upon the one supposition, the first act of sav- 
ing faith gives an immediate and continuing interest 
in the favour of God ; but upon the other supposition, 
faith is but the introduction of that life of sincere obe- 
dience, which is properly the condition of our obtain- 
ing and enjoying the Divine favour. 

Sir, it belongs now to you, seriously and impartial- 
ly to reflect and consider which opinion is most likely 
to be true: whether, that which renounces all confi- 
dence in the flesh, and proposes no condition of justi- 
fication, but our hearty approbation and acceptance 
of, and dependence upon the Lord Jesus Christ alone, 
as the way wherein the glory of the righteousness, 
wisdom, love, and mercy, of God is exalted, and sin- 
ful man justly debased, and brought to the foot of an 
infinite Sovereign; or, that opinion which denies this 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 191 



honour to the Redeemer's merits, and to sovereign 
grace, and proposes our own performances and at- 
tainments, as conditions of our justification and ac- 
ceptance with God. I have now been showing you, 
that the former is the Scripture representation of the 
case; and methinks, any one that has had a just and 
sensible discovery of his own depravity and spiritual 
impotence, must know by experience, that it is the 
only way in which he can entertain comfortable ex- 
pectations of safety and happiness. 

Another objection against this opinion is, that it is 
destructive of practical religion, subversive to a life 
of true holiness. Whatever sentiments we entertain, 
and whatever principles we espouse, we must yet re- 
member, that " without holiness no man shall see the 
Lord: and he that hath this hope in him, purifieth 
himself as he is pure." The " doctrine of Christ" is, 
in all its parts, a " doctrine according to godliness." 
If it therefore appears, upon an impartial examina- 
tion of this case, that these principles of your author 
are inconsistent with, and repugnant to that holiness, 
which is a necessary qualification for the kingdom of 
heaven, there can no other argument be wanting 
against this scheme, to convince us, that it cannot be 
agreeable to him, " who gave himself for us, that he 
might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto 
himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." 
But lest I be misunderstood, and exposed to a cen- 
sure for uncharitableness, I would premise, that I 
cannot but hope, that there are some who adhere to 
these principles, whose hearts are sounder than their 
heads; and who are truly holy in body and spirit, by 
a dependence very different from their profession. 
This is what may be reasonably hoped, not only from 
the exemplary lives of some who embrace these te- 
nets, but from their prayers, of a truly evangelical 
strain, which we ought to suppose the language of 
their hearts, and which we ought to hope, will find 
audience with God, notwithstanding the error of their 
judgments. I must nevertheless insist upon it, that 
such cannot be truly holy, whose hearts and lives are 



192 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

conformable to the principles I am opposing. Not all 
their religious purposes, promises, resolutions, refor- 
mations, not all their fastings, external mortifications, 
macerations of their bodies, vows, meditations, pray- 
ers, or other endeavours they may use, can be pro- 
ductive of holiness, upon these principles. Men may 
by such means put some restraint upon their corrup- 
tions, they may, in a slavish manner, perform some 
hypocritical duties, and thereby may quiet their con- 
sciences, obtain a reputation amongst men, and enter- 
tain hopes of heaven: but they must yet remain 
strangers to any true love to God, delight in him, and 
conformity of heart and affections to him; wherein 
the essence of holiness consists. This will appear, 
from such considerations as these: It is an incontesti- 
ble truth, that we cannot be holy, before we have a 
principle of holiness; that we cannot perform vital 
actions, without a source and principle of life. It is 
equally certain, that we naturally have not this prin- 
ciple of spiritual life; but " the imagination of man's 
heart is evil from his youth, only evil continually." 
It is also certain, that faith in Christ is contemporary 
with (though in order of nature it flows from, and is 
successive to) the first principles of spiritual life; and 
it is from our union to Christ by faith, that we derive 
from him supplies of grace and strength, and that the 
whole progress of holiness is carried on in the soul. 
It is therefore necessary, that we be first united to 
Christ, the head of influences, and fountain of all holi- 
ness, and so be habitually alive to God, before we 
can actually live to God, as I have observed before. 
All our attainments in religion, without a vital prin- 
ciple within, will be but as a carcase without breath; 
or as streams from a corrupt fountain. Whence it 
follows, that they who are looking to sincere obedi- 
ence for justification, must be strangers to true holi- 
ness; they not having first committed their souls to 
Christ, depended upon him alone for righteousness 
and strength, and thereby obtained supplies of grace 
for a life of holiness, from that only fountain of life. 
To seek justification from our sanctification, is to in- 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 193 

vert the order and method of our salvation; it is to 
produce the cause from the effect, to fetch the foun- 
tain from the streams. We must first by a new living 
principle be enabled to act faith in Christ, to receive 
him, and thereby be united to him, and be justified in 
the sight of God; otherwise all our religious and mo- 
ral duties will be in vain, a sacrifice without a heart, 
mere legal or slavish performances, that have nothing 
of true holiness in them. " We must be created in 
Christ Jesus unto good works," if we would " walk 
in them," Eph. ii. 10. "We must be renewed in the 
spirit of our mind," if we would " put on the new 
man, which after God is created in righteousness and 
true holiness," Eph. iv. 23. We must be "quickened 
together w'ith him," Col. ii. 13. We are sanctified 
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, once 
for all," Heb. x. 10. It is of Christ's fulness, that we 
all receive, and grace for grace," John i. 16. And 
"as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it 
abide in the vine, no more can we, except we abide 
in Christ," John xv. 4. 

Moreover, I think, it will be readily allowed, that 
we cannot live a life of holiness, while we remain 
children and servants of sin and Satan. It must also 
be allowed, that the whole world of mankind are 
either the children of God, or the children of the devil. 
This distribution divides the whole human race, 1 
John Hi. 10. Now, then, if we are the children of 
God, we are already in a justified state, and therefore 
cannot depend upon our sincere obedience for justifi- 
cation: but if the children of the devil, we cannot be 
holy, whatever pretences to sincere obedience we may 
make. An unjustified child of God, or a holy child 
of the devil, are each of them the greatest solecism 
that can be thought of. We become children of God 
by the same means by which we are justified. " We 
are justified by faith," Rom. iii. 24; and " we are 
children of God by faith in Christ Jesus," Gal. iii. 26. 
But all they which have not this faith, and are not 
thereby become the children of God, and justified in 
his sight, are so blinded by the god of this world, that 



194 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

they are utterly incapable, in their present state, of a 
life of true holiness. " The God of this world hath 
blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest 
the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the 
image of God, should shine unto them," 2 Cor. iv. 4. 

I may add to this, that the natural disposition of 
every one, while without an interest in Christ, and in 
an unjustified state, is utterly repugnant to, and in- 
consistent with a life of holiness. The character and 
state of all such is, that they are " servants of sin, and 
free from righteousness," Rom. vi. 17, 20. They are 
"dead in trespasses and sins/' Eph. ii. 1. They are 
" after the flesh, and mind the things of the flesh," 
Rom. viii. 5. Their "carnal mind is enmity to God, 
and is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed 
can be," Rom. viii. 7. This is the case of every man 
while in a natural state; a case which can never be 
remedied, until "the law of the spirit of life in Christ 
Jesus, make us free from the law of sin and death," 
Rom. viii. 2. And I even appeal to yourself to de- 
termine, whether life and death, light and darkness, 
God and Belial, cannot as well be reconciled, as these 
characters made consistent with a life of holiness. It 
is therefore evident, that we can have no sincere obe- 
dience until we are justified; and that we cannot live 
a holy life, while we depend upon sincere obedience 
for justification. 

I will only subjoin, that we may not expect the re- 
newing and sanctifying influences of the Spirit of 
Christ, while we depend upon our own sincere obe- 
dience for justification. He has indeed made us gra- 
cious promises, that if we receive him, we shall have 
the privilege to become the children of God, and if we 
trust in him we shall never be ashamed. But we must 
expect no better, than to "follow after the law of 
righteousness, and not attain to it, if we seek it not 
by faith, but as it were by the works of the law," 
Rom. ix. 31, 32. I have already shown you, Christ 
did not undertake our redemption to the end that he 
might assist us in working out a righteousness of our 
own, for our justification; nor may we expect any 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 195 

saving grace from him, until we depend upon him 
alone to do all in us and for us. When he is made 
of God unto righteousness, through faith, we may- 
then, but not till then, expect from him the supply of 
the Spirit, for progressive sanctification and redemp- 
tion. They may rejoice in Christ Jesus (and none but 
they) who have no confidence in the flesh. Look, 
Sir, through the whole Bible, and see if you can any- 
where find encouragement to expect a progress of 
quickening and sanctifying influences from Christ, 
without an interest in him, or dependence upon himj 
and while repairing to your own personal obedience 
as your refuge and hope. In fine, as you can have 
no principle of holiness in yourself, but are under the 
influence of sin and Satan, and under the power of 
affections and dispositions utterly inconsistent with 
true holiness, so are you without any grounded ex- 
pectations of the divine influence to renew and sanc- 
tify you, while you are building upon this false foun- 
dation ; I mean while you are doing so practically, as 
well as speculatively. 

I cannot but hope, Sir, notwithstanding your pre- 
sent wavering and unsettled posture, you have had 
some experience of the truth of what I am now set- 
ting before you in your own soul. Look back and 
consider, how often you have found all your self- 
righteous resolutions, self-confident promises, and en- 
deavours in your own strength to mortify your cor- 
ruptions, and to maintain a closer walk with God, too 
weak a foundation to build upon, and how insufficient 
they have been to produce that new obedience, which 
you have proposed and expected: but how often you 
have found, on the contrary, that a humble and cheer- 
ful dependence upon Christ for righteousness and 
strength, has invigorated your soul in your spiritual 
progress. How often have you found a legal frame 
has clipped the wings of your devotion; while a be- 
lieving dependence upon the riches of God's infinite 
mercy in Christ, has enabled you to "mount up with 
wings as the eagle, to run and not be weary, to walk 
and not faint !" Reflect upon your own experience, 



196 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



and consider how often you have found, that even 
the restraints of the law, when you have acted upon 
no higher motive, have rather irritated and strength- 
ened those corruptions, which you have endeavoured 
to mortify: how often you have found, that nothing 
but faith in Christ, and a realizing sense of the love 
of God in him, could give you the victory, engage 
your heart to the service of God, and make the ways 
of holiness pleasant and delightful to you. These 
things are the common experience of the children of 
God; and a standing evidence to them, of the truth 
which I am representing to you. 

Have patience with me, while I mention one ex- 
ception more to the scheme you have proposed, which 
is, that this doctrine is highly destructive to the com- 
fort of a life of religion ; and subversive of that joy 
and peace, which may be found in believing. The 
Scriptures inform us, that " the ways of wisdom are 
ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace;" 
and exhort us to "rejoice evermore, to rejoice in 
Christ Jesus, without confidence in the flesh." This 
was one end of Christ's coming into the world, that 
we might "serve him without fear, in righteousness 
and holiness before him all the days of our life." 
They who are "justified by faith, have peace with 
God " and should " rejoice in hope of his glory." This, 
the Calvinist principles, or (if you will allow me the 
expression) the Scripture principles, lay a good foun- 
dation for. True scriptural joy is the joy of faith. We 
may have "strong consolation, who have fled for re- 
fuge, to lay hold on the hope set before us. We know 
whom we have trusted that he is able to keep that 
which we have committed to him against that day." 
Though our frames may be very mutable, "Jesus 
Christ is the same, yesterday, to-day, and ibr ever. 
In whom, though now we see him not, yet believing 
we rejoice." He has undertaken for us; "he will 
never leave us nor forsake us;" and therefore we 
may "hold fast our confidence, unto the end." The 
more cheerfully and firmly we trust in him, the more 
shall we increase in holiness and in comfort, and the 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 197 

more sure will be the foundation of our eternal hope. 
This the Scripture teaches; this our own experi- 
ence confirms; we may therefore go on our way re- 
joicing. But now let us look on the other side of the 
question. 

We depend upon our sincere obedience for justifi- 
cation; but alas! how shall we know, whether we 
have any gracious sincerity or not? We have yet 
many corruptions remaining, great defects in our du- 
ties, frequent violations of our good purposes and de- 
signs; and the doubt is, can these things be consist- 
ent with sincerity? Our consciences upbraid us, that 
we do not do what we can in our endeavours after 
sincere obedience. And hence what a dreadful per- 
plexity, what diffidence, darkness, and legal terrors, 
must every serious person be thrown into by these 
principles? Here is no place, (as upon the other prin- 
ciples,) to commit this case also to Christ, and in a 
way of cheerful dependence and diligence to expect 
grace and sincerity from him; for, upon these princi- 
ples, we must be well assured of our actual sincerity, 
before we can look to Christ for acceptance. And 
therefore there is no place for comfort, or for quiet, 
but from a careless inadvertency. However, sup- 
posing we may find some satisfying evidence of our 
sincerity, at certain seasons, under special reforma- 
tions and enlargements, what will become of our 
hopes, when a contrary frame prevails? Can we then 
flatter ourselves with our sincerity? Must not our 
hopes and fears keep pace with our frames ; and our 
whole life be a dreadful fluctuating between both, 
with respect to the infinite, eternal concern before us? 
And is not this to be called "the spirit of bondage 
again to fear?" 

What room can there be upon this plan, for the 
spirit of adoption? How can the "Spirit witness with 
our spirits, that we are children of God?" How can 
we experience the sealings of the Holy Spirit; or the 
earnest of our future inheritance? How can we have 
the full assurance of hope? Or how can we make 
our calling and election sure? We must upon those 



198 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



principles, give up all pretensions to these glorious 
comforts, benefits, and privileges of the children of 
God, while our hope is built upon this precarious 
foundation, and depends upon the doubtful and un- 
certain performance of persevering sincere obedience. 
Let us suppose the best which can be supposed, that 
we should make a comforting and encouraging pro- 
gress in a life of sincere obedience; yet how do we 
yet know but death may seize us in an unguarded 
hour, and find us actually playing the hypocrite ? In 
this case, what will become of all our religious duties 
and all our hopes? And what will become of our 
souls to all eternity? I must confess, Sir, I could see 
nothing before me but horror and despair, if I had no 
better foundation of confidence and hope towards 
God, than my own righteousness. 

Every experienced Christian must acknowledge, 
that the chief comfort of a religious life, flows from 
the lively actings of love to God in Christ. But how 
can there be the comfort of love, when at the best 
we are in an awful suspense, whether God be our 
friend, or our enemy? — What grounds of horror (in- 
stead of the pleasing exercise of love) must we con- 
stantly experience, while we are afraid we have an 
infinite enemy to deal with? What strangers, in this 
case, must we be to the joy, which flows from a re- 
freshing view, that " this God is our God, and will 
be our guide even to death, and our portion for 
ever?" How unacquainted must we be with the 
sublime pleasures of communion with God, while we 
approach his presence under such an uncertain pros- 
pect of his favour, and under grounds for prevailing 
fear of an eternal separation from him? And what 
aggravates the case is, that this not only now is, but 
must continue to be our dark and disconsolate cir- 
cumstance, as long as we live, if we remain under 
the governing influence of these principles I am im- 
pleading. 

I may add to this, that a cheerful progress in all 
gospel-holiness is necessary to our true comfort and 
happiness, while we are here in this vale of tears. 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 199 

"In keeping of God's commands there is great re- 
ward. This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our 
consciences, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, 
not by fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we 
have had our conversation in the world." But I 
have shown you already, that this scheme I am op- 
posing, affords no principle of new obedience, allows 
no foundation for a comfortable progress in the di- 
vine life. Here is no certainty of forgiveness to be 
obtained, and therefore no delightful incentive to the 
mortification of our lusts and corruptions. Upon this 
plan, we are in perpetual danger of the curse of the 
law, on account of our defects; and there is there- 
fore no room for that pleasure, which would other- 
wise be found in running the way of God's com- 
mands. Here can be no assured confidence in the 
divine assistance or acceptance, no absolute affiance 
in the riches of God's free grace in Christ, and 
therefore nothing to melt the heart and conscience 
into love and subjection; nothing to inflame our af- 
fections, and fill us with gratitude to God, for " bless- 
ing us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things 
in Christ Jesus;" nothing to excite us to live to the 
praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath 
made us accepted in the Beloved." The principles 
of the scheme you propose, are slavish; and the obe- 
dience must be of the same kind with the principles 
from whence it flows; and consequently we must be 
utter strangers to that love, delight, and satisfaction, 
which children might find in the service of their 
heavenly Father, so long as our obedience is thus ex- 
cited from fear and constraint; or at best only from 
such uncertain hopes, as wholly depend upon our 
own righteousness, as the condition of acceptance 
with God. Blessed be God, the gospel teaches us a 
more pleasant and delightful religion, the service of 
love, and the obedience of faith, which is truly its 
own reward. 

And now, sir, suffer me freely to expostulate with 
you on this subject. Do not you know that the 
doctrine which you and your author plead for, is 



200 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

substantially the same with the Popish doctrine upon 
the head of remission of sins, and acceptance with 
God; and that this very doctrine was one of the 
greatest occasions of our glorious Reformation from 
Popery? Read, Sir, the many elaborate treatises 
written by our first Reformers; and you will find 
this doctrine set in its proper light. You will find 
all your author's cavils, shifts, and evasions justly 
exposed, all his arguments distinctly answered, and 
the dangerous error stripped of all that plausible 
dress, with which it now again makes its appear- 
ance. You will find, that the doctrine of justifi- 
cation was esteemed by all our excellent Reformers, 
as well as by Luther, Jirticulus stantis vel cadentis 
ecclesise, the article by which the church must either 
stand or fall. And shall we again build up those 
things, which that glorious urmy of martyrs destroy- 
ed? Shall we again revive Popery in one of its most 
considerable branches? Is not this to open the door 
to other Popish delusions and practical errors, as 
penances, pilgrimages, a monastic life, celibacy, and 
other austerities, to supply the defects of our sincere 
obedience, and patch up a righteousness of our own 
to justify us? I wish there were not too much occa- 
sion given for this apprehension, by some in the pre- 
sent times, who would fain be reputed Protestants.* 
You will, perhaps, think me too severe in this dis- 
course; but search into the cause, as I have done, 
and you will find it otherwise. 

And why must this hydra be digged out of its 
grave, and revived ? What advantage can be hoped 
for by this scheme ? Were this doctrine true, would 
not sincere obedience, done from a principle of spi- 
ritual life and holiness, and a dependence upon Christ 
alone, to do all in us and for us, and to recommend 
us to the divine favour, be accepted of God, as well, 
as if it had been done in our own strength, and with 



* See for instance, Mr. Law's Christian Perfection, and Serious 
Call. Books, that would be deservedly esteemed and prized, were it 
not for this Popish taint. 






FAMILIAR LETTERS. 201 

a view to establish our own righteousness? Will Christ 
reject us at last, fordoing too much honour to his infi- 
nite merit, and to the rich and free grace of God in 
him? What if you should find your reasoning false 
and deceitful, when it comes to the great trial? Dare 
you venture your eternity upon it, that in this case 
you cannot be deceived? If the reformation in gene- 
ral, and the most excellent men for learning, sagacity 
and piety, that the reformed churches could ever boast 
of, should be found on the side of truth at the day of 
judgment, in determining that we cannot be justified 
on the footing of a moderated covenant of works, or 
the easy terms you plead for, what will become of all 
those, who have built their eternal hope on that foun- 
dation; not only notionally, I mean, but practically. 

But I have outgone my intended limits, and shall 
therefore only add (after my hearty prayers, that your 
hope may be built upon a sure foundation) that I am 
with great respect, 

Sir, Yours, &c. 



LETTER XIII. 

THE NOTION OF A FIRST JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH, AND A 
SECONDARY JUSTIFICATION BY SINCERE OBEDIENCE, DIS- 
CUSSED AND CONFUTED. 

Sir, — You must conclude I have spent my time but 
idly, if I should yet be "unacquainted with your 
author's meaning; and not fully understand, in what 
sense he supposes our sincere obedience to be the con- 
dition of our justification." It is scarcely possible, 
that he should with any appearance of plausibility 
offer any thing new in defence of these principles, or 
that has not been often advanced, and often refuted, 
long before either you or I were born. And in par- 
ticular, what you now propose, is but the old popish 

14 



202 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

doctrine newly vampt; which has been repeatedly 
answered by all our old Protestant writers. 

You tell me, " Your author acknowledges, that our 
first justification is by faith alone; that is God accepts 
us as being meet probationers for salvation, upon our 
hearty assent to the truth of the gospel, and our being 
heartily willing to take Christ's yoke upon us, and 
obey him: and this is the justification of which the 
apostle Paul speaks, that it is by faith without the 
works of the law. But our secondary justification, or 
continued title to the favour of God, is by our works, 
or by a course of sincere obedience to the gospel. Of 
this the apostle James speaks, when he tells us, that 
a man is justified by works, and not by faith only." 

Sir, you cannot be insensible, that this plea is utter- 
ly inconsistent with the evasions before offered. We 
are therefore now to hear no more of your former 
distinctions, that the apostle Paul refers to legal, and 
not evangelical works, when he excludes all works 
from having any part in our justification. We are to 
hear no more of the apostle's referring to the ceremo- 
nial law, when he opposes the law to grace, and tells 
us, " that if righteousness come by the law, then 
Christ is dead in vain." You now acknowledge, that 
the justification of which the apostle Paul speaks, is 
by faith alone. All other pleas for the scheme, which 
I oppose, must consequently be given up; and it must 
be put upon this single issue. I shall now therefore 
proceed to consider, whether this foundation will 
bear the weight, which you are putting upon it. 

It is worthy of consideration, that there is nothing 
of this new distinction, of a first and a secondary jus- 
tification, to be found in the Scriptures. I look upon 
it as an arbitrary distinction, coined to serve a pur- 
pose, and to help out a tottering scheme, which could 
no other way be supported. The apostle Paul, it is 
true, speaks of our justification in one respect, and the 
apostle James in another, as I have formerly observed 
to you: but each of them retains one invariable view 
of their subject, and continues the same idea of the 
justification about which they treat. There is not a 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 203 

word spoken by either of them, of a first and second, 
of an original, and an additional justification. Indeed 
the Scriptures know nothing at all of this distinction. 
The children of God learn nothing of it from their 
own experience. And you must pardon me, Sir, if I 
must demand some better foundation of my eternal 
hope, than the subtle inventions of such men, who 
would establish and vindicate their principles by new 
and unscriptural doctrines of religion, which have no 
foundation at all, but their own teeming imagination. 
This is the common source of all the errors which ob- 
tain among us. Men of learning and parts, suffi- 
ciently apprehensive of their own capacities, instead 
of a humble subjecting their reason to the wisdom of 
God in his word, are first for forming schemes, which 
appear to them most reasonable; these they take for 
principles: and then they must force some construc- 
tion or other upon the most opposite texts of Scrip- 
ture, and invent some arbitrary distinctions, to obviate 
the difficulties that lie in their way. This is plainly 
the case before us. It does look reasonable to the 
Papists, to the Socinians, to the Arminians, and to the 
Neonomians,that our obedience should be wholly ex- 
cluded from a part in our justification. It is true, the 
Scripture, does in multitudes of most plain and fami- 
liar expressions, in the most express and strongest 
language, utterly exclude it. But there must be one 
unnatural construction, or another, forced upon these 
texts of Scripture, to make them consistent with their 
scheme; which they take for a postulatum whatever 
is said in the Scripture to the contrary. When this 
refuge fails, the present distinction is coined, to sup- 
port the sinking cause. It were a sufficient answer 
to all these pretences, to say, "The foolishness of 
God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is 
stronger than men. And he that seemeth to be wise 
in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be 
wise." 

But I have this further objection against the dis- 
tinction you mention, that it is not only a human de- 
vice, without any appearance of Scripture warrant; 



204 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

but is utterly inconsistent with the Scripture doctrine 
of justification. There is so much ascribed in the 
Scripture, to what they call our first justification, as 
leaves no possible room for a second. I have ob- 
served something of this to you, upon another occa- 
sion, in a former letter; and you must bear with me, 
if you here meet with some repetition, in order to set 
the present case in a true and proper light. By virtue 
of the righteousness imputed to us, and received 
through faith, we have a free pardon of all our sins. 
Rom. iv. 5, 6, 7. " To him that worketh not, but be- 
lieveth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is 
counted for righteousness. Even as David also de- 
scribeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God 
imputeth righteousness without works, saying, Bless- 
ed are they whose iniquities are forgiven ; and whose 
sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the 
Lord will not impute sin." By virtue of this justifi- 
cation we are freed from the wrath of God, and ac- 
tually reconciled to him, Rom. v. 9, 10. "Much 
more then being justified by his blood, we shall be 
saved from wrath through him. For if when we were 
enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of 
his Son: much more being reconciled, we shall be 
saved by his life." By this justification we are made 
righteous in the sight of God, Rom. v. 18, 19. "By 
the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon ail 
men unto justification of life. For as by one man's 
disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obe- 
dience of one, many shall be made righteous." By 
this justification we have the adoption of children, 
John i. 12. " As many as received him, to them gave 
he power to become the sons of God; even to them 
that believe on his name." By this justification we 
have the spirit of adoption, peace with God, and a joy- 
ful prospect of our eternal inheritance, Rom. v. 1, 2. 
" Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace 
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ — and rejoice 
in hope of the glory of God." By this justification, 
we are sanctified, and receive needed supplies of 
grace, Heb. x. 10. " By the which will we are sane- 






FAMILIAR LETTERS. 205 

tified, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, 
once for all," Rom. v. 17. "For if by one man's 
offence, death reigned by one ; much more they who 
receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of right- 
eousness, shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ." By 
this justification, we are secured of perseverance in 
grace, against all charges, accusations, persecutions, 
and malignant endeavours of hell and earth to the 
contrary, Rom. viii. 33, 35. "Who shall lay any thing 
to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall 
tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or 
nakedness, or peril or sword?" And, in a word, by 
this justification, we are entitled to, and shall shortly 
be possessed of, eternal glory. Rom. viii. 30. " Whom 
he justified, them he also glorified." And now, Sir, 
what is there left for your secondary justification to 
do? We have God himself, pardon, peace, with all 
the benefits, comforts, and privileges of the children of 
God in this life, and eternal glory hereafter, bestowed 
upon us, or made over to us, in consequence of what 
you call the first justification. Your secondary justi- 
fication must therefore be a mere imaginary thing, an 
unaccountable fiction; which has as little foundation 
in the nature of things, as it has in the word of God. 

I may add to this, that our continuance in a justi- 
fied state is by the same means by which we were 
first justified. It is true, believers, (as well as others,) 
are daily sinning, in thought, word, and deed; and 
there may therefore appear some difficulty in con- 
ceiving how our once being justified by faith, can 
secure to us a remission of future sins. It cannot be 
supposed, that our sins are actually pardoned before 
they are c.ommitted; or our guilt cancelled before it 
was contracted. How then can one single justifica- 
tion stand us in stead, through the future scenes of 
sin and guilt, and entitle us to eternal glory, notwith- 
standing a repeated forfeiture of the divine favour, 
and notwithstanding our renewed deserts of God's 
wrath and displeasure? This deserves some particu- 
lar consideration. I shall therefore endeavour, in a 



206 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

few words, to solve this difficulty, before I proceed 
distinctly to consider in what manner our justification 
is continued. 

Let it then be observed, that as the meritorious 
procuring cause of our justification, with all its bene- 
fits, of grace here and glory hereafter, was at once 
completed: " the body of Christ was offered once for 
all," and by his obedience unto death he brought in 
everlasting righteousness. So the believer, upon his 
first being actually interested in the redemption by 
Christ, and receiving his righteousness through faith, 
is at once unalterably acquitted from condemnation, 
reinstated in the paternal favour of God, and secured 
in such a continuing progress of grace and holiness, 
as will end in eternal glory. " For by one offering, 
Christ hath perfected for ever them that are sancti- 
fied." Heb. x. 14. As our Lord Jesus Christ by 
" bearing our sins in his own body on the tree," has 
"finished transgression, made an end of sin, made re- 
conciliation for iniquity, and brought in everlasting 
righteousness," Dan. ix. 24; "So by faith that is in 
him, we receive the forgiveness of sins, and an inhe- 
ritance among them that are sanctified," Acts xxvi. 
18; and "are complete in him." Col. ii. 10. He, 
therefore, " that believeth, hath everlasting life, and 
shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from 
death to life," John v. 24; and is "blessed with all 
spiritual blessings, in heavenly things in Christ," 
Eph. i. 3. 

But this notwithstanding, though our justification, 
as to the meritorious procuring cause of it, be at once 
perfected and completed; and by virtue of the immu- 
tability of God's counsel, the infinite merit of the 
righteousness imputed, the stability of the covenant 
of grace, and the faithfulness of the promises, the be- 
liever immutably remains a child of God, and an heir 
of eternal glory. He nevertheless by reason of his 
daily sins and imperfections, stands in daily need of a 
renewed application of the benefits of Christ's redemp- 
tion to his soul, and in daily need of pardon and jus- 
tification. But then it should be remembered, that 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 207 

this is not a secondary justification, distinct from the 
former; but the same renewed and confirmed. If 
the believer sins, he hath an advocate with the Fa- 
ther, to make continual intercession for him, for re- 
newed pardon and grace, and for a continuance of his 
justified state. " He ever liveth to make intercession 
for them; who needeth not daily as those high priests, 
after the order of Aaron, to offer sacrifice first for his 
own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did 
once, when he offered up himself." Heb vii. 25. 21. 

These things being premised, the question now re- 
curs, by what means are believers continued in a 
justified state? To which I answer as before, by the 
same means by which they were at first brought into it. 
The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to 
faith," Rom. i. 7. That is, as a noted commentator 
expounds these words, the beginning, the continuance, 
and the consummation of our justification, is by faith. 
"Now the just shall live by faith," Heb. x. 38. Not 
only are the ungodly justified by faith; but the just, 
or those that are in a justified state, shall live by faith, 
shall obtain new supplies of pardoning and sanctifying 
grace through faith. And thence " the life which the 
believer lives in the flesh," is said to be " by the faith 
of the Son of God," Gal. ii. 20. 

Let any serious Christian consider, what refuge he 
can betake himself to, in order to quiet the accusa- 
tions of his conscience for sin committed; and to 
obtain renewed pardon for his frequent transgressions 
and constant imperfections. Dare he venture into 
the presence of God, and challenge pardon on account 
of his own sincere obedience? Will he plead before 
the eternal Majesty, the milder terms of this (imagi- 
nary) new law of grace, and tell the Almighty, this 
easy condition was purchased for him by the blood 
of Christ, that his own works should justify him; that 
he sincerely desires and endeavours to obey God, and 
therefore pleads the benefit of that new covenant of 
works; and entreats pardon and acceptance, for his 
sincere obedience, according to the tenor of it ? If this 
be an article of our creed, why should it not be like- 



208 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



wise an article of our devotion ? But yet, I think, the 
patrons of this scheme cannot be so hardy, as to plead 
it before the throne of God. And I may venture to 
say, that every sensible humble Christian will use a 
quite contrary argument in prayer for pardon and 
acceptance with God. Such a man will find no plea 
to make at the throne of grace, but the infinite merits 
of the glorious Redeemer, with the boundless riches 
of God's free mercy in Christ. He can find no other 
source of continuing peace and hope, but a humble 
trust and confidence in the merit and righteousness 
of Christ. He durst not plead his own attainments 
before God, nor trust in them, as justly recommend- 
ing and entitling him to his favour; but repairs by 
faith immediately to the righteousness of Christ alone, 
for renewed pardon and acceptance. Thus you see, 
that as the Scriptures propose a way very different 
from that of our own obedience, for the continuance 
of our justification, so the children of God have a 
quite contrary refuge for peace and pardon; and it 
would even shock a Christian ear, to hear any devo- 
tions exactly adjusted and proportioned to these prin- 
ciples. It is therefore evident, that all pretences of 
this kind should be rejected by those who would not 
be finally ashamed of their hope. 

That we may have a further view of the absurdity 
of this distinction, let us consider a little how this 
scheme will hang together; and see whether it will 
not necessarily destroy itself. 

The patrons of the distinction do so much honour to 
the Scriptures, which every where attribute our jus- 
tification to faith, as to allow, that our first justifica- 
tion is by faith alone. But what are we to under- 
stand by that faith, by which this first justification is 
obtained ? The Papists tell us, that it is an infusion 
of a new principle of grace and charity. The Socin- 
ians and Arminians (at least some of them) teach, 
that it is the to credere, or an assent to the gospel re- 
velation, which justifies, as it is an act of our own, 
and an instance of obedience to the divine command. 
Some of our more modern refiners upon this scheme 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 209 

choose to define this faith, by which we obtain our 
first justification, to be a receiving Christ as our Lord 
and Saviour; and tell us, that a submitting to his 
government, has as great a hand in our justification, 
as our relying upon his merit, or hoping for salva- 
tion on account of what he has done and suffered for 
us. I think, all of them agree in this, that faith justi- 
fies as it is an assent to the truth of the gospel, and 
an entrance upon a life of obedience. None of them 
suppose this first justification to be our acceptance 
with God, "as righteous, by the righteousness of 
Jesus Christ imputed to us, and received by faith 
alone/' 

Now then what room is there for this distinction? 
Is not faith, in this consideration of it, as much an 
act of obedience, as any other point of conformity to 
the divine command, which we are capable of? And 
is it not supposed to justify us, as it is our subjection 
to the new law of grace, and as it is our first act of 
obedience? What then do they mean by telling us 
of a first justification by faith alone, and of a secondary 
justification by works; when they really intend, that 
the beginning, the progress, and the conclusion of our 
justification is by obedience only! This may easily 
be brought to a short and determinate issue. Either 
faith does justify us as it is a work of ours, and an 
act of obedience; or it justifies us as it is the means 
of our receiving Christ's righteousness, and having 
the same actually applied to us, for our justification 
and acceptance with God. There is no other way, in 
which we can be supposed to be justified by faith. 
All the distinctions, that the most exuberant fancies 
of men can light upon, are reducible to one of these 
two. Now if the latter of these be assumed, the con- 
troversy is ended: We have a righteousness to plead, 
that is sufficiently perfect, and that will stand us in- 
stead; there is no need of our new obedience, in order 
to make up its defects, and procure a secondary justi- 
fication. But if the former of these be assumed, then 
our first justification is as truly by works, as the se- 
cond; and the whole is by obedience only. How 



210 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

much more fair and ingenious would it therefore be, 
for the abettors of these principles to speak out, and 
tell us plainly, that we are justified only by works, 
and that faith has nothing to do in our justification, 
but as it is our own work, and an act of obedience; 
than thus to endeavour to hide the deformity of their 
scheme, as contrary to the whole tenor of the gospel, 
by the paint and varnish of this plausible, but ground- 
less distinction? 

If we should proceed to consider the nature of their 
secondary justification, and the obedience by which it 
is obtained, there will appear to be as little foundation 
for this new distinction from thence, as from the for- 
mer view. Will every act of our sincere obedience 
justify us? Or must it be a progress of obedience to 
the end of our lives? If the former, we have not only 
a first and second, but a thousand-fold justification. 
If the latter, we can have no justification at all, so 
long as we live; and have therefore very little reason 
to expect it after we are dead. For as death leaves 
us, judgment will find us, as I have observed to you 
in another letter. Should you suppose, that our justi- 
fication is progressive, and bears proportion to our 
sanctification, you must then allow, that we cannot be 
completely justified, till we are completely sanctified; 
which we are not to expect in this life. Should you 
suppose, we shall be justified in our expiring moments, 
just as we are breathing our last, even this will be be- 
fore our obedience is finished, or our sanctification 
perfected; and therefore there can be no more reason 
assigned for it, at that period,, either from Scripture or 
the nature of things, than there could have been per- 
haps a thousand times before. So that in whatever 
view we consider the case, this distinction, and the 
whole scheme founded on it, is a mere scene of con- 
fusion, in the highest degree repugnant both to Scrip- 
ture and reason. 

And now I am ready to attend to your reasoning, 
in favour of these principles. 

" I must acknowledge (you say) that we are justi- 
fied upon covenant works. Now a covenant must 






FAMILIAR LETTERS. 211 

have conditions, to be fulfilled by both parties: and 
consequently the benefits of the covenant must de- 
pend upon the performance of those conditions, and 
be suspended, when the conditions are violated. 
Whence it is necessary to suppose, that there are 
some continuing conditions required of us, in order 
to our complete justification." 

There is no need to debate with you the propriety 
of the word conditions in this case; because it may 
be used in a sound sense. But I know nothing in the 
nature of any covenant, except a covenant of works, 
that makes such conditions as you speak of, necessary 
to it. Whereas, if you consider the covenant of grace 
in all the exhibitions of it, it is a covenant of promise, 
as styled, Eph. ii. 12. Thence those who are inter- 
ested in this covenant, are called "the children of the 
promise," Rom. ix. 8. And "the heirs of the pro- 
mise," Heb. vi. 17. Thus the tenor of this covenant, 
when made with Adam, was, that "the seed of the 
woman should bruise the serpent's head," Gen. iii. 
15. And thus when made with Abraham, it con- 
sisted of a promise, that " in him all the families of 
the earth should be blessed," Gen. xii. 3. In neither 
of these cases, was there any condition added: it was 
barely a declaration of mercy to guilty sinners. And 
yet the apostle expressly calls this "a covenant, which 
was confirmed of God in Christ," and says, " The in- 
heritance God gave to Abraham by promise," Gal. 
iii. 17, 18. And what is there that should make this 
inconsistent with the nature of a covenant? Cannot 
you, Sir, covenant with a beggar, to bestow upon him 
what treasure you please, upon the only condition of 
his thankful acceptance? Cannot a prince covenant 
with his rebel subjects, to pardon them, and receive 
them into'his favour, upon the only condition of their 
acknowledging his sovereignty and accepting his par- 
don? Would not this be truly and formally a cove- 
nant; and a covenant with strongest obligations to 
the performance, especially if confirmed by an oath, 
as the glorious God has condescended to confirm the 
covenant of grace? Heb. vi. 18. 



212 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

You further argue, that " good works and a life of 
sincere obedience are absolutely necessary to salva- 
tion, without which no man can see the Lord, and 
therefore necessary to our justification, which is but 
our title to eternal life. And a right or title to eternal 
life is promised to obedience. Rev. xxii. 14. ' Blessed 
are they that do his commandments, that they may 
have right to the tree of life; and enter in through 
the gates into the city.' Heaven is a recompense 
of reward. And God has particularly promised to 
his people, that he will proportion the dispensations 
of his grace, to the good or evil behaviour of his 
people, in the eighteenth and thirty-third chapters of 
Ezekiel." 

Do you indeed, Sir, suppose, that there is no differ- 
ence between justification and sanctification? They 
are both, it is true, necessary to salvation ; but are 
they both necessary in the same respects, in the same 
place, and order, and to the same ends? Are they both 
necessary, as what equally entitle us to the continuing 
favour of God, to grace here, and glory hereafter? 
Holiness or new obedience is necessary as a qualifi- 
cation, disposing or fitting us for the enjoyment of 
God, and possession of the heavenly glory. But how 
will it follow from hence, that it is necessary, as the 
condition of our reconciliation to God, and of our be- 
ing kept by his power, through faith unto salvation? 
How will it follow, that because we cannot be saved 
without holiness, that therefore we must be saved for 
it, and upon the account of it? It is necessary to an 
heir's possession of an estate, given him by his father's 
will, that he live and enjoy his reason : yet it is not his 
life and reason, but his father's donation, which gives 
him the title. Even so in the present case, our life 
and activity are necessary to our possessing the eter- 
nal inheritance: but it is the free grace of God in 
Christ which gives us the title. " By grace ye are 
saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is 
the gift of God," Eph. ii. 8. 

As to the Scriptures cited by you, they are alto- 
gether impertinent to your purpose. You should 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



213 



prove, if you would confirm your point in view, that 
we are justified by works; and that our works give 
us the title to salvation. But all that you do prove 
by the cited Scriptures is, that good works are neces- 
sary to salvation; which is a truth equally allowed 
by both parties in the present controversy, and a 
consequence equally resulting from the principles of 
both. 

The first text indeed which you quote, does in the 
English translation, seem to look something in your 
favour. But then read in the orignal, and all that 
appearance is lost. I think it should thus be read, 
"Blessed are they who do his commandments, that 
they may have power, privilege, or liberty for the tree 
of life." And it is on all hands granted, that none 
will ever have the power, privilege, or liberty, to en- 
ter the external inheritance, but those who are sanc- 
tified. The whole question is, from whence this pow- 
er is derived; upon what title this liberty or privilege 
is founded? Whether only from the righteousness of 
Christ imputed? Or from their sincere conformity to 
the (pretended) new law of grace? To this the text 
says nothing at all: nor can any argument be drawn 
from it, either on the one or the other side of the 
question. 

But heaven is a recompense of reward. What then? 
May not a reward be given, not of debt, but of mere 
grace; without any claim by personal merit, without 
any motive from covenant conditions performed, or 
any other incentive at all, but the mere goodness and 
kindness of the donor? How then does this prove the 
covenant conditions you are pleading for? You may, 
Sir, if you please, without any previous covenant, re- 
ward your slave's towardliness, with freedom and 
with a good estate ; though this be what he can have 
no claim to by his obedience. His person and ser- 
vices being your property, the reward must flow 
wholly from your kindness and bounty. And thus, 
in the present case, though eternal life be a reward, 
it is a reward of mere bounty and goodness, it is 



214 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



the gift of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Rom. 
vi. 23. 

What you urge from the 18th and 33d chapters of 
Ezekiel is as little to your purpose. This will evi- 
dently appear, if you consider that these chapters 
have a special reference to a temporal salvation, from 
the calamites that Israel felt or feared from the Chal- 
dean war. They were part of them already in cap- 
tivity; and the remainder in dreadful expectation of 
the succeeding carnage and desolation, which made a 
swift approach upon them. They on this account 
complain of God's dispensations as unequal, and of 
their own misery as remediless. In answer to which 
complaints, God is pleased by the prophet to justify 
his dispensations towards them-, and to let them know 
that his dealings with them were according to their 
doings: that their reformation would avert his judg- 
ments; but their apostasy and declension from his 
service, would both heighten his displeasure and their 
punishment. That this was the design of the 18th 
chapter, appears evident from the whole foregoing 
context, where their dreadful destruction by the Baby- 
lonians was expressly predicted and threatened, which 
gave occasion to obviate their objections against God's 
dealings with them, and to give them a just view of 
the true source and cause of their misery and ruin. 
That this was also the design of the 33d chapter, is 
most evident from the express words of the context, 
as every one may see that will read from the 26th to 
the 29th verse, where sword, famine, pestilence, and 
utter desolation are expressly denounced, and declar- 
ed to be the evils referred to in this discourse. Now 
what just argument can be drawn from hence? Will 
it follow, because God proportions his providential 
dispensations to the external conduct of his profess- 
ing covenant people, that therefore we are justified 
by works; or that our eternal salvation is the imme- 
diate fruit of our own obedience? Will it follow, that 
because Ahab's threatened temporal destruction was 
prevented by his external reformation, that therefore 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 215 

he was justified and eternally saved upon the account 
of it? No; it is plain that all the arguments to the 
present purpose, from these chapters, are altogether 
impertinent. And the pleas commonly taken from 
hence against perseverance in grace, because the 
righteous are represented as turning from their right- 
eousness, are nothing at all to the purpose for which 
they are used. 

But after all, were it even supposed, that these 
chapters referred to God's dispensations toward men 
in relation to their eternal state, how would they con- 
firm the principles you are pleading for? They would 
indeed show us that there is a necessary connexion 
between a life of disobedience and our salvation, and 
between a life of obedience and our perdition, which 
is a truth allowed on both sides of the present ques- 
tion. But as to the meritorious, procuring, and en- 
titling cause of our salvation, or the foundation of our 
right and title to eternal life, there is nothing spoken 
of in these chapters. If you would find these things 
explained by the prophet Ezekiel, read the 36th chap- 
ter of his prophecy, where the doctrine which you op- 
pose, is strongly asserted, and particularly illustrated. 
You will there find it is God "that takes away the 
heart of stone from his people, and gives them a heart 
of flesh;" that "causes them to walk in his statutes, 
and keep his judgments, and do them;" and that it is 
" not for their sakes that he does this, but for his own 
name's sake;" and that when this is done for them, 
they will have cause to "be ashamed and confounded 
for their own ways;" and to "loathe themselves in 
their own sight for their iniquities and abominations." 
You will there find, that though God " will be inquired 
of by the house of Israel to do this for them;" yet this 
is not the condition of their acceptance: he will be- 
stow his special grace "for his own name's sake," 
and "not for their sakes." Now you will acknow- 
ledge, that the other chapters must be taken in the 
same view with this; and then, though it will appear 
that he who repenteth and continueth in obedience to 
the end, and none but he, shall obtain salvation at 



216 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



last, yet that this repentance and new obedience flow 
from God's sovereign grace, and is the fruit of a jus- 
tified state. The same thing may be observed con- 
cerning any other texts of Scripture which you can 
possibly cite, to the like purpose. And I must here 
observe to you, it is a sure evidence of the weakness 
of that cause, that can be no better defended. There 
are multitudes of plain and positive texts of Scripture, 
which ascribe our justification to faith, and to the 
righteousness of Christ alone; as I have had occasion 
to show you already. These must be interpreted 
away at any rate, because they do not agree with 
this scheme, which must by all means be supported. 
But then, what evidence have we from Scripture for 
this doctrine, which is so strenuously contended for? 
None but this, that holiness and new obedience are 
necessary to salvation; which is just so much, (and 
no more,) to the purpose, as if you should attempt to 
prove your point from the first verse of Genesis. 

You proceed to argue, that "repentance for sin, 
which includes new obedience in the nature of it, is 
not only made absolutely necessary to salvation, but 
has the promise of pardon annexed to it; and is there- 
fore plainly proposed in Scripture, as the condition of 
our justification." 

This is but a repetition of the former argument, in 
other words. The question before us is not, What is 
necessary to our salvation: but what is the condition 
of our justification? It is not the question whether 
pardon and salvation be necessarily connected to re- 
pentance and new obedience : but what it is that gives 
us a title to this pardon and salvation; and whence it 
is, that this repentance and new obedience flow, by 
which we are qualified to partake of saving benefits. 
The Scriptures assure us, that this is the righteousness 
of Christ received by faith; and what you now offer, 
is no way inconsistent with the many declarations of 
this kind, throughout the whole word of God. If it 
were granted, that whatever are the requisites in them 
that shall be saved, and whatever qualifications have 
the promise of pardon and salvation annexed to them, 






FAMILIAR LETTERS. 217 

• 

are the conditions of our justification, it would then 
follow that perseverance is a condition of our justifi- 
cation; and consequently all dispute about being jus- 
tified in this present life, is at an end, as I have ob- 
served before. For the benefit is suspended, till the 
condition on which it depends, is accomplished. Be- 
sides, I think, all men must allow, that if repentance 
be the fruit and consequence of our justification, it 
cannot be the condition of it. There can be nothing 
more preposterous, than to suppose an effect to be a 
condition of the cause producing it. And the Scrip- 
tures assure us, that repentance is the fruit and conse- 
quence of our justification. Thus is it particularly- 
represented to us. Ezek. xxxvi. 26,28, 31: "A new 
heart also will I give you; and a new spirit will I put 
within you; — and ye shall be my people; and I will 
be your God — Then shall ye remember your own 
evil ways, and your doings that were not good; and 
shall loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your 
iniquities and for your abominations." Thus like- 
wise, Zech. xii. 10: "And I will pour out upon the 
house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusa- 
lem, the Spirit of grace and of supplications: and they 
shall look upon me whom they have pierced; and 
they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his 
only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one 
that is in bitterness for his first-born." In which texts 
you see, there is first a new heart and a new spirit; 
they are first in a justified state, they are God's people 
and he is their God; they are first renewed and have 
a spirit of grace and supplication; they have first the 
exercise of faith, they look upon him whom they have 
pierced; and then follows their repentance, as an im- 
mediate and necessary consequence of their regenerate, 
justified state. This truth is most evident, not only 
from the Scripture representation of this matter: but 
also from the nature of a true and sincere repentance. 
We must be united to Christ, and have a principle of 
life, before we can perform vital actions. We must 
have the dispositions of our souls renewed, before we 
can hate sin, and heartily mourn after a deliverance 

15 



218 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

from what is naturally pleasant and delightful to us. 
We must first have faith in Christ's blood, before we 
can repair to it for cleansing from pollution and guilt. 
We must first have a principle of love to holiness, be- 
fore we can live a life of new obedience. The legal 
terrors, resolutions and endeavours, which precede our 
justification, are very far short of a true repentance; 
and therefore can have no promise of pardon and sal- 
vation made to them. It is therefore evident, that 
though an evangelical repentance does immediately 
succeed (and in its beginnings is even contemporary 
with) a true justifying faith: Yet it is in the order of 
nature an effect and fruit of it; and consequently can- 
not be the condition of our justification. 

And now I proceed to the consideration of your 
last argument, for the vindication of these principles. 
" It seems (you say) that our obedience must be the 
condition of our justification, because the process of 
the final judgment will be put upon that issue, and 
every man will be judged in that awful day, accord- 
ing to his works." 

To which I answer, that I can see no manner of 
consequence in this reasoning, because God of his 
infinite grace and bounty will be pleased to reward 
the obedience of believers at the eternal judgment, 
that therefore our obedience is the condition of our 
present justification. You yourself, Sir, have been 
so good to the young gentleman, your sister's son, as 
to take him out of prison, to pay his debts, to adopt 
him into our family, to call him by your own name, 
and treat him as your own child: and I am told, that 
you intend to reward his dutifulness to you, by giv- 
ing him the preference to your daughters, and by 
making him the heir of your solid estate. If it should 
be so, would it from thence appear that his dutiful 
behaviour was the condition of your taking him out 
of prison, and adopting him into your family? No 
Sir, you know that this was an act of mere compas- 
sion and kindness. Apply this to the case here be- 
fore us, and you will see the fate of your argument. 
You are besides to consider that it is no where said 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 219 

in Scripture that we are at the last day to be re- 
warded for our good works, but according to them. 
The reward which believers shall receive, will be a 
reward of mere grace; and will of God's infinite 
goodness be proportioned to, but not merited by their 
obedience. Let it also be considered, in our justifi- 
cation in this life, Christ is considered in the special 
character of our Redeemer, our Propitiation, our 
High Priest; and accordingly applies the benefits of 
his redemption to our souls, that we maybe accepted 
in him; but in the great day of accounts he will ap- 
pear in the special character of our judge, publicly 
owning and rewarding those graces, which he has 
enabled us to exercise, and that obedience which he 
has excited and strengthened us to perform. In our 
justification here, he is glorifying the riches of his re- 
deeming mercy and love: In the day of judgment, he 
will glorify his rectoral holiness and equity, as well 
as his infinite bounty; and let the intelligent world 
see, that "the Judge of all the earth will do right." 
Here, he justifies the ungodly, by acquitting them 
from guilt, and imputing righteousness without works: 
there, he will reward the godly, by crowning their 
piety and holiness with eternal life. Here, our justi- 
fication is the foundation and fountain of our new 
obedience, as I have before shown you: there we 
are to receive the reward of our obedience already 
performed and finished. In our justification here, 
Christ acts from the motives only of his sovereign 
grace and love: in the final sentence, he will proceed 
according to the rules of distributive, remunerative 
justice, in adjusting and proportioning rewards. So 
that from the nature of things it is agreeable, that 
we should. here be justified by faith only: but there 
judged according to our works. 

And now, Sir, will you indulge me the same free- 
dom which you have hitherto borne with ; and al- 
low me to be your faithful monitor, in an instance or 
two? 

I would first put you in mind, that it is of much 
greater consequence to your highest interests to make 



220 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

it evident to yourself, that you are indeed justified in 
the sight of God, than to exercise your mind with 
this arbitrary distinction of a first and second justifi- 
cation. If you are indeed interested in Christ by 
faith, if you do indeed experience a change of heart 
and life in consequence of your faith in him; and 
make a progress in the divine life, in' the mortifica- 
tion of your corruptions, in love to God and your 
neighbour, and in heavenly mindedness and spiritu- 
ality, you will not be examined at the bar of your 
judge, about your acquaintance with these modern 
distinctions; or, whether those qualifications, which 
will then be gloriously rewarded, are the fruits of the 
first, or the conditions of a secondary justification. 

I would again entreat you to consider, that the life 
of a Christian is a life of faith in the Son of God. 
We are not only justified by faith; but we are saved 
by faith; and the just must live by faith. Whatever 
becomes of this debate, you may be therefore certain, 
that you can be no longer safe, than while you are 
humbly committing your soul to Christ as to the au- 
thor of your eternal salvation, depending upon him 
as the Lord your righteousness; and expecting all 
supplies of grace from his fulness. And believe me, 
Sir, a lively exercise of faith in Christ will afford you 
more present comfort, will much more quicken you 
in devotion and true holiness; and more strengthen 
and establish you in every good work, in your pro- 
gress to the heavenly kingdom, than all your studies 
in these fruitless doctrines, about a first and second- 
ary justification. 

I will take leave to add once more, that the way 
to heaven is certainly a way of holiness; and without 
holiness you can never see God. It therefore con- 
cerns you to look to the fountain of holiness for all 
supplies of grace, to watch over your heart and life, 
to endeavour and pray for a holy conformity to the 
whole will of God; and amidst, and after all, to bring 
your great defects to the blood of Christ for pardon; 
and continually implore the divine influences, that 
the work of grace may be carried on in your soul 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 221 

with power, 'till you arrive without spot and blame- 
less, before the throne of your sovereign and right- 
eous Judge. 

That you may thus be directed safe amidst all the 
snares and delusions in your way, is the prayer of, 

Sir, 

Yours, &c. 



LETTER XIV. 

THE APOSTLE JAMES'S DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION BY WORKS, 
IN HIS SECOND CHAPTER, DISTINCTLY REVIEWED, AND SET 
IN ITS GENUINE LIGHT, BY A COMPARISON WITH THE APOS- 
TLE Paul's doctrine of justification by faith. 

Sir — You "acknowledge, that if it were not for one 
difficulty in your way, you should think the evidence 
offered against the doctrine you have proposed, must 
be conclusive: but you do not know how to give into 
a scheme, that is not only expressly contradicted, but 
particularly refuted, in the word of God. The apos- 
tle Paul (you say) does indeed seem to speak in fa- 
vour of my principles: but he ought to be interpreted 
by the apostle James, who expressly rejects my inter- 
pretation of St. Paul's discourses on the subject before 
us. What appearance therefore soever there may be, 
in favour of my principles, in St. Paul's epistles, these 
must not be understood in direct contradiction to the 
express declarations of another inspired writer. You 
therefore desire me to show, how it is possible to re- 
concile my scheme with the doctrine of St. James, in 
the second chapter of his epistle, from the fourteenth 
verse to the end." 

If this be all your remaining difficulty, I hope it 
will not prove a hard matter to give you full satis- 
faction, that the doctrine of the apostle James in the 
place referred to, is no ways inconsistent with the 



222 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

doctrine of our justification by faith, so plainly and 
fully taught by the apostle Paul in all his epistles; 
and therefore, that our justification by works (in the 
sense that I oppose it) has no foundation at all in the 
whole word of God. 

That this may be set in a proper light, there are 
two or three things necessary to be premised, and 
distinctly considered, previous to a direct and imme- 
diate view of the consistency and concurrence of these 
two apostles, in the doctrine of a sinner's justification 
by faith, notwithstanding their seeming disagreement 
and repugnancy. 

It should first be premised, that these two apostles 
must be understood in such a sense, as will make 
them consistent. We must take this for a principle, 
that whatever becomes of our schemeSj on one side 
or the other, the Spirit of God cannot be inconsistent 
with himself, nor teach contrary doctrines. That in- 
terpretation therefore must be right, which will make 
them consistent; and that must be rejected, which 
sets them at variance, and makes their doctrines 
utterly irreconcilable. 

It should be likewise premised, that the apostle 
James must be understood in such a sense, as will 
make him consistent with himself. We may not sup- 
pose, that he teaches such a doctrine in this part of 
the second chapter, as is repugnant to the doctrine 
which he himself teaches elsewhere, in the same 
epistle. Let us then see if we cannot find the doc- 
trine I am pleading for, taught in this very epistle 
of James. Particularly in chap. i. 5, 6, 7: "If any 
of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God who giveth 
to all men liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall 
be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wa- 
vering. For he that wavereth, is like a wave of the 
sea, driven of the wind, and tossed. For let not that 
man think, that he shall receive any thing of the 
Lord." From whence 1 argue, if faith be the way 
to divine acceptance and audience of our prayers, the 
means by which our duties will find a gracious recep- 
tion with God, and without which they will be re- 






FAMILIAR LETTERS. 223 

jected; then we are justified by faith, and not by- 
works. For it is undoubtedly true, that what justifies 
our obedience, and renders that acceptable to God, 
does likewise justify our persons, and render them 
acceptable to him. And our works can have no hand 
in justifying our persons, if our works themselves are 
justified by faith; but condemned and rejected with- 
out it, as the apostle teaches us in the cited text. So 
we learn from chap. v. 15, 16, that the effectual fervent 
prayer of the righteous man is the prayer of faith. 

Moreover, if spiritual wisdom, or practical holiness, 
be the fruit and effect of faith (as we are told that it 
is, in the quoted text) then our justification and ac- 
ceptance with God (by which we do, and without 
which we cannot obtain the divine influences to our 
progressive sanctification) is by faith, and not by 
works. I think no man will pretend, that we are so 
acceptable to God, as to obtain his sanctifying influ- 
ences, in a progress of wisdom and grace, before we 
are justified: or that we are sanctified by faith, and 
justified by works. Whence it follows, that faith is 
the mean or term of our justification, because it is the 
mean or term of our sanctification; and that a holy 
life cannot be the condition of our acceptance with 
God, because it is the consequence and fruit of that 
faith, by which we find acceptance with him. 

Another text to the same purpose, we find, in chap, 
ii. 5, "Hearken my beloved brethren, hath not God 
chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs 
of the kingdom, which God hath promised to them 
that love him?" It might be read, Hath not God 
chosen the poor to be rich, (as a similar phrase is 
translated, Rom. viii. 29,) to be rich with or by faith, 
and heirs. . Does not this plainly teach us, that as the 
end of God's choosing the poor, was that they might 
be spiritually rich, so that it is faith which enriches 
them, and constitutes them heirs of the kingdom? 
And you will readily own, that if we are heirs of the 
kingdom by faith, we are justified by faith. The 
kingdom is prepared for them that love God: and faith 
is the source of that love to God, by which we are 



224 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

qualified for the kingdom. Faith worketh by love, 
Gal. v. 6. And therefore faith is the term or medium 
of our acceptance with God, and title to the kingdom. 
These texts must therefore be remembered in our ex- 
plication of the context you refer to, that we may not 
represent the apostle as teaching contradictions or in- 
consistencies. 

It must also be premised, that we should understand 
the reasonings and conclusions of the two apostles, 
Paul and James, according to the professed scope and 
design of their discourses, and according to the sub- 
ject they are professedly treating upon: and we should 
consider the expressions they each of them use upon 
the point in view, not as words occasionally and tran- 
siently spoken; but as what relate to, and are con- 
nected with, the subject matter professedly underta- 
ken to be explained. This must be always allowed 
to be a natural and rational rule, which ought to be 
strictly adhered to, in the interpretation of Scripture. 
Now, then, let us look a little into this case ; and see 
if we do not find the scope and design of these two 
apostles very different, where they speak so very dif- 
ferently of justification by faith and by works. 

Paul designedly handles this question, — How a 
guilty, condemned, and convinced sinner shall get 
reconciled to God, find acceptance with him, and have 
a title to the heavenly inheritance? He treats of 
such " who are under sin, whose mouths must be 
stopped, who are all become guilty before God; and 
who have all sinned, and come short of the glory of 
God," Rom. iii. 9, 19, 23. He considers the impos- 
sibility in the nature of the thing, that such as these 
can be justified by works: because when they have 
done all they can do, they yet in their highest attain- 
ments continue sinners, and remain under guilt. This 
is the plain and manifest scope of the two first and 
part of the third chapters to the Romans. He thence 
proceeds to show in which way, and which only, they 
may hope for acceptance with God, in the remaining 
part of the third, and in the following chapters of 
that epistle. This cannot be by the deeds of the law. 






FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



225 



But it must be " by the righteousness of God without 
the law, by the righteousness of God by faith of Jesus 
Christ;" and " by faith without the deeds of the law," 
v. 21, 22, 28. This is the subject, that the Apostle 
Paul keeps constantly in view, in his epistle to the 
Romans and Galatians. 

But then on the contrary, the apostle James de- 
signedly handles this question, whether careless licen- 
tious professors of Christianity may presume upon 
their obtaining salvation, from their doctrinal faith, or 
from their notional and historical assent to the truth of 
the Gospel? And thence he takes occasion distinctly 
to consider, which way a Christian's faith may be 
justified, his profession vindicated and evidenced to 
be sincere and true. He discourses of " a man that 
saith he hath faith, and hath not works, (v. 14,) of 
one that hath a faith without charity, (v. 15, 16,) of 
" a faith that hath not works, but is dead being 
alone," (v. 17,) a faith, that is but like a body without 
spirit, or a carcase without breath, (v. 26.) 

These are the respective questions handled by 
these two apostles; and their answers are adapted to 
the subjects professedly handled by them. They give 
the very same answers to each of these questions, 
that a judicious Calvinist divine would now give. 
Should an awakened sinner, under a sense of his guilt 
and danger, inquire of one of our divines, how he 
may obtain a pardon of his sins, a reconciliation to 
God, and a title to eternal life, would he not answer, 
with the apostle Paul, that he must "seek right- 
eousness by faith, and not as it were by the works 
of the law:" for "by the deeds of the law, no flesh 
shall be justified in his sight:" that he must " be found 
in Christ,. not having his own righteousness which is 
of the law, but that which is through the faith of 
Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." 
But then, on the other hand, should any vain pro- 
fessor, that turns the grace of God into wantonness, 
yet say that he has faith, and flatter himself with 
salvation, from his historical doctrinal belief of the 
gospel, while living a careless and sensual life; would 



226 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

he not be told in the language of the apostle James, 
that such a faith will not save him; that the very 
devils have such a faith, as well as he; that faith 
without works is a dead faith, and but a carcase 
without breath; that lie must have works to justify 
his pretence to faith; and must show his faith by his 
works, or his hopes are vain, and he a vain man to 
entertain such hopes. Now, what shadow of dis- 
agreement would appear in these different answers, 
to such very different subjects in question? 

After this view of the case, it is now to be consid- 
ered, from which of these apostles we may expect to 
have the doctrine of a sinner's justification before God 
explained and set in its proper light: whether from 
him who is purposely handling this subject; or from 
him who is not purposely handling this matter, but 
treating on a very different subject? This is an in- 
quiry very easily answered, and being answered the 
whole difficulty vanishes of course. 

These things being premised, I proceed to consider 
the subject before us more directly and particularly: 
And by taking notice of the doctrines respectively 
taught by these apostles, shall endeavour to show, 
that there is no disagreement at all between them; 
nor any thing at all in this discourse of the apostle 
James, which you refer to, that is in the least repug- 
nant to our justification by faith, without works of 
righteousness done by us. 

This will appear evident, if we consider, in the first 
place, that these apostles are treating of a different 
faith. The one of them has not the same idea, and 
does not mean the same thing with the other, when 
they discourse of faith, and its influence upon our jus- 
tification. You remember, I have formerly shown 
you at large, in a letter purposely written on that sub- 
ject, that there are two sorts of faith mentioned and 
described in the Scripture. By the one we are, and 
by the other we are not, justified before God. Now 
the apostle Paul speaks of the former of these; and 
the apostle James of the latter. There is therefore 
the greatest truth and propriety in what each of these 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 227 

apostles speak of faith, taking it in the notion which 
they respectively intend. It is true, that by the faith 
of God's elect we are justified and saved: It is also 
true, that the faith of the vain man, or empty profes- 
sor, a bare national, historical, fruitless faith, will not 
save us. The apostle Paul speaks of a living faith, 
" by which the just shall live," Rom. i. 17. The apos- 
tle James speaks of a dead faith, which is but as a 
"body without the spirit," v. 17, 26. The apostle 
Paul speaks of a "faith which worketh by love," 
Gal. v. 6. The apostle James speaks of a "faith 
which hath not works;" and which is destitute of 
mercy or charity, v. 16, 17. Paul treats of a special 
faith, by which "we are the children of God," Gal. 
iii. 26. James of a faith, which is common to the 
devils, v. 19. Paul treats of a faith, by which " we 
shall be saved," Rom. x. 9. James of a faith which 
"cannot save us," v. 14. Paul treats of a faith, by 
which we are "justified, without the deeds of the 
law," Rom. iii. 28. James, on the contrary, speaks 
of a faith which "being alone, without works," is 
such as will not justify us, v. 24. Now, can it pos- 
sibly be true of the same faith, that it is both alive, 
and dead; that it worketh by love, and yet hath not 
works, but is without love and mercy; that by it we 
are the children of God; and yet not distinguished 
from the devil by it; that we are saved by it, and 
not saved by it; that we are justified by it without 
works, and are not justified by this alone without 
works? If these are not some of the highest contra- 
dictions, I know not what in the world either is or 
can be so. The consequence therefore is inevitable, 
either that these contrary characters and accounts of 
faith cannot be both true; or else that it is a different 
faith, which these apostles speak of. You dare not 
assume the former of these consequences; and there- 
fore must allow the latter to be necessarily true. You 
must allow it to be true, that Paul speaks of one kind 
of faith, and James of another. And what argument 
can now be fairly drawn from this discourse of the 
apostle James, but this only, that a lifeless, fruitless, 



228 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

inoperative faith will not justify or save us? And 
who but sensual libertines, ever thought that it would? 
If you suppose James to be here speaking of a true 
lively faith, you must suppose him to contradict, not 
only the apostle Paul, but our blessed Lord himself, 
and the Holy Ghost, in multitudes of plain and ex- 
press passages of Scripture, which are every where 
dispersed through the Bible, that ascribe our justifica- 
tion before God to faith only. Here then the contro- 
versy is brought to a point. And what conclusion 
will you now come into? Is it not time to give up 
your scheme, and ingenuously acknowledge, that as 
the apostle James is here saying nothing to the sub- 
ject before us, there can nothing be inferred from 
what he says, against the doctrine which you oppose. 
It is also further evident, that the apostle James in 
the context referred to, is saying nothing contrary to 
the doctrine so constantly taught by the apostle Paul, 
of our being justified before God by faith alone, with- 
out the deeds of the law, nor any thing in favour of 
our justification before God by our own works; this, 
I say, is further evident, because he is not there treat- 
ing of our justification, as it is the relief of a guilty 
world, and imports the acceptance of our persons be- 
fore God; nor is he saying any thing at all about 
this, one way or another. But he is treating of the 
justification of our faith, or demonstration of the sin- 
cerity of our profession by its proper evidences : 
Which justification, he shows us, is by works. — 
Whereas the apostle Paul is always treating only of 
justification as it is the relief of an awakened sinner, 
and imports the acceptance of our persons, when he 
tells us that we are justified by faith, without works. 
I have formerly shown you, that though the word 
justification (in its general notion) has always one 
unvaried meaning and uniform signification in Scrip- 
ture, yet it is frequently applied in both these re- 
spects. It is indeed most usually to be understood 
for the acceptation of our persons with God, and re- 
spects our interest in his favour: but it sometimes 
also intends a vindication of our character as believ- 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



229 



ers, and such a manifestation of the sincerity of our 
faith and profession, by the necessary practical evi- 
dences, as will give them a just estimation and ac- 
ceptance with our own consciences, or with our fel- 
low creatures. Thus the word is used, Deut. xxv. 
1. Job. xxxiii. 32. Luke vii. 35. Rom. iii. 4. and else- 
where. And I am now to show you, that the apos- 
tle Paul understands the word in the former of these 
senses; but the apostle James in the latter. 

By justification the apostle Paul intends the remis- 
sion of sins, Rom. iii. 25. Our receiving the gift of 
righteousness, Rom. v. 17. And our being entitled 
thereby to grace here, and glory hereafter, Rom. v. 
1,2. 

But by justification, the apostle James intends no 
more than the approving ourselves sound believers 
evidencing the sincerity of our faith, or manifesting 
the truth of our profession, and so the safety of our 
state. If this appears to be so, upon a particular ex- 
amination of the case, you must own, that there is no 
place for any argument in favour of your scheme, 
from this context. Let us then consider this matter 
distinctly and impartially. 

It may be presumed, that the apostle James is not 
treating of the justification of our persons in the sight 
of God, in that there is not one character of such justi- 
fication, to be seen in his whole discourse. There is 
nothing spoken about our obtaining pardon of sin, 
nothing of our persons being made righteous in the 
sight of God, nothing of our being entitled to future 
glory, by the works unto which our justification is 
ascribed. No more can therefore be proved from this 
apostle, but that we are in some respect justified by 
works. Yet not so justified, as to obtain remission of 
sins and reconciliation to God, or to be entitled to an 
inheritance in the future glory, by our works. For 
of these things, or of any thing else which implies 
them, he says nothing at all. But this may be more 
fully and clearly evinced, by the following considera- 
tions. 

It is evident in the first place, from the occasion of 



230 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



this discourse, as it is represented to us in the first 
sixteen verses of this chapter. They professed faith 
in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, and yet 
had respect to persons; making a criminal distinction 
between the rich and poor, of the same Christian 
faith and profession with themselves; as appears from 
the four first verses of the chapter. They despised 
the poor; and thereby violated that royal law, "Thoti 
shalt love thy neighbour as thyself," v. 6, 8. "They 
respected persons," they " committed sin, and were 
convinced of the law as transgressors," v. 9. They 
exposed themselves to "have judgment without mer- 
cy," if they thus "showed no mercy," v. 13. And 
would such as these pretend to faith in the Lord Jesus 
Christ? "What doth it profit, if a man say, that he 
hath faith, but hath not works? Can that faith save 
him?" What profit can that faith be to them, which 
leaves them so uncharitable and unmerciful, that they 
can see, "a brother or sister naked, or destitute of 
daily food," and only "say to them, Depart in peace, 
be ye warmed and filled: but notwithstanding, they 
give them not those things which are needful to the 
body," v. 14, 15, 16. This is plainly the occasion of 
this discourse. They pretended to faith in the Lord 
Jesus Christ : but brought forth fruit quite contrary 
to their pretensions. How then could they justify 
their pretensions? • How could they justify their pro- 
fession of faith, against the charge of hypocrisy, and 
prove it to be sincere and saving? They could never 
in this sense, be justified any way, but in that of evi- 
dence, by a life correspondent to their profession. 
Their faith must be justified or evidenced by their 
works. I may allude to that, Isa. xliii. 9, "Let them 
bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justi- 
fied." Otherwise let them pretend what they would 
to faith, while they lived without brotherly love, and 
good works, it was but an empty pretence; and their 
profession wanted the proper witnesses to justify it. 
Thus the argument is natural and easy; and the con- 
clusion necessarily follows. But then on the other 
hand, if we consider justification as meaning our re- 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 231 

conciliation to God, and our personal acceptance with 
him, the apostle's arguments will appear very lame 
and defective, and the conclusion will never follow 
from the premises, for it will by no means follow, 
because a lifeless fruitless faith, destitute of mercy 
and obedience to the royal law of love, will not jus- 
tify us before God, that therefore good works in truth 
will justify us before God. It will by no means fol- 
low, because we cannot be accepted of God and saved, 
by a false and insincere profession of faith; that 
therefore we can be accepted of God and saved, by 
such obedience as we are capable to perform. The 
inference is therefore necessary, that the apostle must 
be so understood, as will secure the connection of his 
discourse, and the force of his argument; which can- 
not be done, if we consider him as speaking of justi- 
fication in any other sense than that which I am now 
pleading for. 

Further, that the justification here treated of, is the 
justification of our faith and sincerity, but not of our 
persons, is evident likewise from the consequence, the 
apostle draws from the foregoing premises, which he 
undertakes to prove and vindicate in the following 
verses: Which is, "Even so, faith, if it hath not 
works, is dead, being alone," verse 17. This is the 
point which he undertakes to prove: And accordingly 
this is the conclusion of the whole when he has fin- 
ished his reasoning on the subject. " For as the body 
without the spirit is dead, so faith without works, is 
dead also," verse 6. As a breathless, spiritless corpse, 
that cannot act or move, is evidently dead, so a specu- 
lative belief, that does not influence a man's life and 
actions, is evidently dead; a dead thing, in itself, ar- 
gues a dead soul, and is dead to the purposes and 
offices of gospel faith. We must therefore understand 
all the arguments here used, to refer to this point only. 
They are all brought to prove, that faith which is 
without [or severed from] works, is dead: And that 
therefore there is a necessity of works to justify our 
faith, or to make it manifest that it is not a dead faith. 
Were justification here taken in the other sense, his 



232 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

arguments would not only be utterly inconclusive; 
but his reasoning quite foreign to his subject, which 
may not be supposed: And therefore it necessarily is 
the justification of our faith or Christian profession, 
and not of our persons, which the apostle James is 
here treating of. 

This is also evident from every one of the argu- 
ments, used by the apostle in this context. Every one 
of them will bring out the conclusion now mentioned: 
But neither of them, separately considered, nor all of 
them connected, have any appearance of an argument 
in proof of our personal justification (or our persons 
being made righteous) before God, by our good works. 

The first argument seems but ironically proposed. 
" Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith and I have 
works: Show me thy faith without thy works; and I 
will show thee my faith by my works," verse 18. As 
if he should have said : Have you indeed faith without 
works! I pray, show me your faith without works, if 
you can. For my part, I know of no such way of 
manifesting the truth of faith; I resolve to take a con- 
trary method; and will show you my faith, will evi- 
dence the sincerity of it, and justify my profession of 
faith, by my works. Here the argument is very clear 
and full, in favour of the interpretation I am pleading 
for. And here we have an index, to point out the 
meaning of the word justification, in the subsequent 
discourse. It cannot import more than a manifestative 
justification. Indeed it signifies the same thing with 
showing our faith, or evidencing the truth of our pro- 
fession, and so of our justified state. But now let us 
see how this argument will conclude for the other 
side of the question. The argument ought to be thus 
stated. Our faith must be shown and manifested by 
our works: therefore our good works will justify our 
persons before God, and render us righteous and ac- 
ceptable in his sight. I think every body will own, 
that the Spirit of God don't reason at that rate; and 
therefore that justification before God, which is the 
sinner's relief against the challenges of his law and 
justice, cannot be the subject here treated of. 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 233 

The second argument here used, is, that a fruitless 
and inoperative faith, though it be good as far as it 
goes, yet is no other than what the devils have; he is 
therefore a vain man, who depends upon acceptance 
with God by such a dead faith. " Thou believest there 
is one God; thou dost well; the devils also believe, 
and tremble. But wilt thou know, vain man, that 
faith without works, is dead," verse 19, 20. Here the 
apostle expressly shows us what it is he had under- 
taken to prove: Which is, that a bare, fruitless, his- 
torical faith cannot save us, because it is common to 
the very devils. Here he expressly shows, who it is 
he is disputing with: it is a vain man, who vainly ex- 
pects to be saved by an idle faith, and empty profes- 
sion of the gospel, without any fruit of obedience. 
And here he does again expressly assert the principle, 
which was the subject of his discourse, and the only 
point to be proved, that faith without works, is dead. 
So that there is no room to debate what was the design 
of this argument. By this he effectually proves, that 
the faith which justifies our persons, must be justified 
by good works; otherwise we are but vain men, and 
our hope is but a vain hope, which will leave us 
among unpardoned devils at last. But not so much 
as the least colour of an argument can be found here, 
that our persons are justified before God by good 
works: whence it follows, that the justification here 
treated of, must necessarily be the justification of our 
faith, of our Christian character and profession; and 
not of our persons, in regard of their state, before God. 

A third argument here brought by the apostle to 
prove his point, is, " Abraham's being justified by 
works, when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar," 
verse 21. -Now, it appears from a variety of the 
strongest and clearest evidences, that the apostle did 
not (could not) refer to the justification of Abraham's 
person in the sight of God, but to the justification of 
his faith and sincerity only, in this instance before us. 

This appears, in the first place, because Abraham 
was in a justified state, by an everlasting covenant, 
thirty years before his offering his son Isaac upon the 

16 



234 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



altar. It was so long, or near so long before this, 
that the glorious God himself made the promise to 
him, in Gen. xvii. 7. " And I will establish my cove- 
nant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee in 
their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a 
God unto thee and to thy seed after thee." And it was 
more than so long before this, that Abraham had this 
testimony given him in Gen. xv. 6, " That he believed 
in the Lord : and he counted it to him for righteous- 
ness." Yea, he was a believer so long before, as his 
first leaving his father's house. " By faith Abraham, 
when he was called, obeyed and went out," Heb. xi. 
S. How then could his offering his son Isaac, be the 
mean or term of the justification of his person before 
God, when he had faith unfeigned, had righteousness 
imputed to him, and an everlasting covenant made 
with him so long a time before? Besides, if works 
could have justified his person, he would have been 
justified by works long before this. For his whole 
story shows, that he had lived in a course of holy, 
fruitful obedience, from the time of his justification till 
this time. There cannot therefore be any fair pretence 
made, that the justification of his person is here re- 
ferred to. No; this good work was not in the least 
constitutive, but only evidential, of his personal jus- 
tification before God. 

Further, it appears by the story itself, to which the 
apostle refers, that it was only a manifestative justi- 
fication, a justification of his faith and sincerity, and 
so declarative of the justified state of his person, that 
Abraham obtained by offering his son Isaac upon the 
altar. The glorious God condescends to treat with 
him after the manner of men; and by an assumption 
of human affections, to declare concerning him, " Now 
1 know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not 
withheld thy son, thine only son, from me," Gen. 
xxii. 12. This, then, was the justification of which 
the apostle treats, Abraham's making it known, that 
he feared God, and that his faith and profession were 
sincere. For this is all the justification, which can be 
proved from this text in Genesis, to which he refers. 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 235 

We may not suppose, that an inspired apostle quoted 
Scripture impertinently: and yet we cannot suppose 
the Scripture referred to, was any thing at all to his 
purpose, unless we understand him to be speaking of 
justification in the sense I am pleading for. In this 
sense, therefore, and this only, did the apostle design 
to prove our justification by works, by the argument 
now before us. Abraham's obedience witnessed to 
the truth of his faith: and so his real state of justifica- 
tion before God was made apparent. 

This also appears by the apostle's illustration of 
this argument, in verse 22. " Seest thou how faith 
wrought with his works, and by works was faith 
made perfect?" How was it that faith wrought with 
his works? Not as a joint condition of his justification 
before God. He was justified in the sight of God 
long before this, as I have shown you already: and 
the apostle Paul assures us, that his justification was 
by faith without works, Rom. iv. 4, 5. Therefore 
faith could not co-operate with his works, to the jus- 
tification of his person, when " righteousness was im- 
puted to him that worked not, but believed on him 
that justified the ungodly." This sense being reject- 
ed and contradicted by the Spirit of God himself, 
must consequently by no means be admitted: nor is 
there any other interpretation, which can (with the 
least show of reason) be given to these words, but 
that which I am pleading for. Accordingly we read, 
Heb. x. 17, "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, of- 
fered up Isaac : and he that had received the promises, 
offered up his only begotten son." His faith was sig- 
nally operative; not a dead faith; and therefore sin- 
cere. This was visibly demonstrated by the good 
works which it produced. Such works must be the 
productions of a true and lively faith. And we may 
see in this instance, how faith wrought with his works, 
exciting, directing, assisting him in them: and thereby 
may see, that it was not such a faith, as the apostle is 
here complaining of. " By works was his faith made 
perfect." How was it made perfect? The grace of 
faith, considered in itself, was neither the better nor 



236 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



the worse, neither more nor less perfect, for the works 
which followed it: save, as the exercise of faith in do- 
ing them might tend to strengthen and improve the 
habit. But the meaning seems to be, that it was dis- 
covered and proved to be a perfect (true and lively) 
faith, by its consequences and effects. His faith was 
a perfect or sincere faith, when it was imputed to him 
for righteousness, thirty years before this. But this 
noble act of obedience evinced the truth of his faith, 
justified his profession and character, witnessed to his 
being a true believer; and made it." known, that he 
indeed feared God, seeing he withheld not his son, 
his only son, from him." In this view of the case, 
the argument is clear and pertinent, and the evidence 
full and convincing: but considered according to the 
other construction of the words, it affords no conclu- 
sion to the purpose. It is no consequence, that be- 
cause Abraham's faith was operative, therefore his 
good works made him righteous, or had any hand in 
the justification of his person before God: or, that be- 
cause his good works were an evidence that his faith 
was perfect and upright, therefore his good works 
were a condition of his justification in the sight of 
God, with respect to his person and state. 

The same thing likewise appears from the 23d 
verse. " And the Scripture was fulfilled, which saith, 
Abraham believed God; and it was imputed to him 
for righteousness: and he was called the friend of 
God." There can be nothing more pertinent, natural, 
and easy, than the application of these words to the 
purpose which I have proposed. That eminent in- 
stance of Abraham's obedience did most convincing- 
ly evidence the truth and sincerity of his faith; and 
abundantly verify the report in the Scripture, that 
Abraham did believe God; and that he had such a 
faith, as was the means of rendering him righteous 
and accepted with God. Thus the Scripture was 
fulfilled, and clearly manifested to be true. But then, 
on the other hand, if justification be considered in the 
sense which you plead for, this argument would be so 
far from concluding in favour of the point to be 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 237 

proved, that it would be directly opposite and con- 
tradictory to it. For how could Abraham's being 
"justified by works, fulfil the Scripture, which saith," 
he was "justified by faith;" if justification be in both 
places taken in the same sense, for absolute justifica- 
tion of the person before God ? How could his works 
being imputed for righteousness, fulfil that Scripture 
which assures us that "his faith was imputed for 
righteousness;" unless faith and works are the same 
thing, and there be no difference at all between be- 
lieving and obeying? Certain it is, that the apostle 
Paul understood the argument to conclude quite the 
contrary, when he undertook to prove from this 
very text, that "righteousness is imputed to him 
that worketh not;" and that it "is imputed without 
works:" and therefore the apostle James must be 
understood in such a sense, as will make both his 
arguments conclusive, and his doctrine consistent with 
the other inspired writings. I shall only add, as to 
the clause, "And was called the friend of God;" 
it does not mean, that Abraham's works made him 
the friend of God; but they declared him so. His 
obedience did not put him in the state of a friend ; 
but being upon trial found faithful, he obtained this 
testimony, that he was the friend of God, a justified 
believer. Now Abraham being the " father of all 
them that believe," an eminent example of faith, and 
pattern of justification, the apostle subjoins, v. 24, 
" You see then how that by works a man is justified, 
and not by faith only." In a like sense, even as 
Christ is said to be justified in (or by) the spirit, so a 
Christian man is justified by the fruit of the Spirit, in 
a holy life, i. e. declared approved of God. By works 
a man that says he has faith, is thus justified, and not 
by faith only; not by a faith that hath not works at- 
tending it; not by a faith which is alone, or by itself, 
destitute of its proper fruits and evidences. Some of 
the best critics in the Greek language tell us, the ex- 
clusive particle Monon (v. 24.) as here placed after 
the word faith, has the force of an adjective ; and they 
read it, Fide solitaria, faith which is alone. 



238 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



A fourth argument is taken from the instance of 
Rahab, v. 25. " Likewise also was not Rahab the 
harlot justified by works, when she had received the 
messengers, and had sent them out another way?" 
Upon which the same remarks may be made, as on 
the instance of Abraham. Rahab feared the God of 
Israel, and was a true believer, and therefore per- 
sonally justified in the sight of God, before her send- 
ing out the spies another way. For she had received 
the spies by faith. Heb. xi. 31. And consequently 
she certainly had faith, before she received them. A 
noble confession whereof we find her making to these 
spies, before she dismissed them. See Josh. ii. 10, 11. 
What justification therefore could she possibly obtain 
by these works, but the justification of her faith, since 
she was really in a justified state before? 

And now I am come to the conclusion of this whole 
dissertation, which is, " For as the body without, (or 
severed from,) the spirit is dead, so faith without, (or 
severed from,) works is dead also," v. 26. This, as 
I observed before, clearly shows what was the apos- 
tle's design in his whole discourse. For every con- 
clusion of an argument justly prosecuted, must be 
naturally deduced from the premises, and consist of 
the principal subject matter to be proved, as we see 
is the case before us. But if justification were here 
taken in the sense which you espouse, the arguments 
would all of them be inconclusive; and that conclu- 
sion would be quite foreign to the purpose. This 
consequence, therefore, of my foregoing discourse ne- 
cessarily forces itself upon you, that the apostle was 
not here treating of the justification of our persons 
before God, in regard to their state; but of our faith, 
in point of sincerity; and therefore there can be no 
argument brought from this context, for our justifica- 
tion by works, in the sense you plead for. 

Thus, Sir, you have seen, that the apostle Paul 
and James were treating of very different subjects, 
and their determinations were adapted to the doc- 
trines which they undertook to explain. And thence 
it is a just inference made by an eminent divine upon 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 239 

this subject, that " the principal designs of the two 
apostles being so distant, there is no repugnancy in 
their assertions, though their words make an appear- 
ance thereof; for they do not speak ad idem; nor of 
things eodem respectu. James doth not inquire, 
how a guilty, convinced sinner, cast and condemned 
by the law, should be justified before God ? And Paul 
speaks to nothing else. Wherefore apply the expres- 
sions of each of them to their proper design and scope, 
(as we must do, or we depart from all sober rules of 
interpretation, and make it impossible to understand 
either of them aright,) and there is no disagreement, 
or appearance of it between them." 

And it may be yet further remarked, that these 
apostles had very different persons to deal with, in 
their respective epistles; and their addresses were ac- 
cordingly accommodated to the state of the parties to 
whom they wrote. The apostle Paul's business either 
lay with such, who being newly converted from 
heathenism, were biassed by the principles taught by 
the light of nature and always received by them, to 
indulge the vain thought, that they must render them- 
selves acceptable to God, and be justified in his sight, 
by their own personal righteousness and obedience 
to the law. An opinion greatly strengthened by the 
numerous false teachers, who were " desirous to be 
teachers of the law, though they understood neither 
what they said, nor whereof they affirmed." Or else 
his business lay with Judaizing Christians, who being 
zealous of the Levitical dispensation and constitu- 
tion, expected justification by their conformity to it. 
Of this sort of professors the apostle observes, that 
" they were soon removed, from him that called them 
into the grace of Christ, unto another gospel." Gal. 
i. 6. And that "being ignorant of God's righteous- 
ness, and going about to establish their own right- 
eousness, they had not submitted themselves unto 
the righteousness of God." Rom. x. 3. His concern 
was therefore to discover their dangerous and des- 
tructive mistake; and to represent to them the way, 



240 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

the true and only way, in which they might hope for 
justification in the sight of God. That it is "not by 
works of righteousness which they had done, but of 
God's mercy," they must be "saved;" that they must 
be "justified freely by God's grace, through the re- 
demption which is in Christ Jesus;" and that in the 
justification of a sinner, "righteousness is imputed 
without works," and received by faith only. 

On the contrary, James being concerned with car- 
nal professors of Christianity, who perverted the doc- 
trines of grace to encourage themselves in a careless 
licentious life, does at large convince them of the ne- 
cessity of holiness, as the fruit and evidence of a true 
and saving faith, and the means to qualify them for 
the kingdom of heaven. He therefore puts them 
upon examining into the truth of their faith, and 
foundation of their hope, and shows them by the ar- 
guments already considered, what alone will justify 
their profession of faith, and give them good grounds 
to conclude the safety of their state. 

They therefore who over magnify works, and de- 
pend upon them as the condition of their justification 
before God, are admonished by the apostle Paul to 
consider that they are building upon the sand, and 
that they must renounce their false confidence, or 
perish. " For by the works of the law shall no flesh 
be justified: and if righteousness come by the law, 
then Christ is dead in vain," Gal. ii. 16. 21. This 
solemn truth does indeed, Sir, call for your earnest 
attention. 

On the other hand, they who depreciate good works, 
and neglect them as of no consequence to eternal sal- 
vation, are called upon by the apostle James to con- 
sider, how empty their profession, how dead their 
faith, and how vain their hope of salvation is. For 
if men may go to heaven without holiness, why may 
not the devils go there too, who have faith, (such as 
it is,) as well as they? We must have a living faith, 
or a dead hope. Our faith must purify our hearts, 
and renew our conversations; or leave us among the 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 24 1 

impure and ungodly for ever. It concerns " every 
one, therefore, so to speak and so to do, as they that 
shall be judged by the law of liberty/'' James ii. 12. 

Upon the whole then, as you are taught by the 
one apostle how dangerous it is to build upon any 
other foundation than Christ only; for " Christ Jesus 
is our hope," and " other foundation can no man lay, 
than that is laid, which is Christ Jesus:" so are you 
admonished by the other apostle, that you can have 
no interest in Christ nor title to his salvation, but by 
a faith which purifies the heart, works by love, and 
is justified by a subsequent life of holiness and new 
obedience. 

The extremes on both sides of the question, are 
equally dangerous. He that joins good works with 
faith, as equally the terms of justification before God, 
virtually rejects the Saviour's sufficiency; substitutes 
his own righteousness in the room of the righteous- 
ness of God; and consequently his expectations must 
perish. He that separates good works from faith, in 
his life and conversation, as though they were not re- 
quisite to salvation, will be found very unfit for the 
heavenly world, when the decree goes forth, " He 
that is filthy, let him be filthy still." 

Suffer me then to conclude, Sir, with an earnest 
entreaty, that, as you love your soul, you would leave 
off unprofitable disputes; and not distract your mind, 
and carry away your thoughts from practical godli- 
ness, by such an earnest application to these contro- 
verted points: but see to it, that you come to the foot- 
stool of divine grace, as a lost, unworthy, perishing 
sinner; that you depend only upon the riches of God's 
free sovereign grace, to draw you to Christ, and give 
you an interest in him; that you look to Christ Jesus 
alone for righteousness and strength; and cheerfully 
trust in him as a safe foundation of confidence and 
hope. See to it, that the life which you live in the 
flesh, be by the faith of the Son of God: and as you 
look to his righteousness only for the safety of your 
state, so likewise repair by faith to his fulness for all 
supplies of grace, whereby you may make a progress 



242 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



in holiness. See to it, that you do not quiet your con- 
science with a dead faith; but always remember, that 
" he who hath this hope in Christ, purifies himself 
even as he is pure;" and that as your person cannot 
be justified, but by faith in Christ, so your faith can- 
not be justified, but by a careful diligence in main- 
taining good works. Having therefore " with the 
heart believed unto righteousness," be in a hum- 
ble dependence upon Christ, " steadfast and immove- 
able, always abounding in the work of the Lord: and 
your labour will not be in vain in the Lord." 

That you may be kept by the power of God 
through faith, and receive the end of your faith, the 
salvation of your soul, is the prayer of, 

Sir, Yours, &c. 



LETTER XV. 

WHEREIN IS CONSIDERED IN WHAT RESPECTS GOOD WORKS ARE 
NECESSARY ; AND OUR OBLIGATIONS TO THEM REPRESENTED 
AND URGED. 

Sir — Your observation is just, that " it would be un- 
suitable and unseasonable to make apologies for this 
further trouble (as you are pleased to call it) after I 
have given you so many assurances of my cheerful 
readiness, to contribute all in, my power to your best 
interest." Indeed, Sir, I have found nothing trouble- 
some in the whole progress of our correspondence, 
excepting some dark apprehensions of late, lest you 
would " frustrate the grace of God," in "seeking 
righteousness, not by faith," but " as it were by the 
works of the law." But it now greatly animates my 
endeavours to serve you, to find those fears on my 
part so happily removed, by finding " the difficulties 
on your part obviated, in that important point, and 
you satisfied with respect to the foundation of your 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



243 



hope." I am sensible, that the principles which I 
have been pleading for, are " commonly loaded with 
opprobrious invectives, as being destructive of an holy- 
life, and subversive of morality and godliness." But 
I think I have already given you sufficient evidence, 
that all these insinuations are mere calumnies; and 
that there is no other possible foundation, than what 
I have represented to you, for a life of true holiness 
and piety. I appeal to your own observation and 
experience, whether in general there be any that live 
more holy lives and more honour their profession, 
than they who most strictly adhere to the doctrines 
of special grace and depend upon Christ alone for 
righteousness and strength: and whether they, on the 
contrary who depend upon their good works for a 
title to the divine favour do not too commonly show 
the weakness of their foundation, by the carelessness 
and unfruitfulness of their lives. 

The question which you propose, is however wor- 
thy of a distinct consideration, " How far and in 
what respects are our good works necessary to sal- 
vation?" 

In order to give you a proper view of this case, it 
will be needful to answer this question both nega- 
tively and positively: or to show you wherein our 
good works ought to have no place,or be at all looked 
to or depended upon; and then to show you wherein 
good works ought to have place, and in what respect 
they are necessary to every Christian indeed, that 
would entertain a well grounded hope of eternal life. 

In my negative answer to this question, I must 
first observe that we are not to do good works, in 
order to change God's purposes and designs towards 
us, or to excite his benevolence and compassion to 
us. I suspect, it is too common a case, for men to 
depend upon their penitent frames, their duties, their 
reformations, their works of charity, or other religious 
exercises, as what will excite affections, passions, or 
compassions in the glorious God, correspondent to 
what they find in themselves. And thence, when 
conscience upbraids the sinner for his past provoca- 



244 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

tions to God, he hopes to appease his displeasure, by 
his remorse, by his duties, or by his more careful fu- 
ture conduct: and now "he is delivered to do all 
these abominations," his account is balanced, and 
he begins upon a new score. Thence it is that his 
hopes and fears bear proportion to his frames and 
carriages. Every serious pang, every religious duty 
or moral practice, which his conscience approves, 
will raise his dejected hopes; and give him comfort- 
ing expectations of the divine favour. But it should 
always be remembered, that the change to be hoped 
for by our duties, religions frames, or moral conduct, 
must be in ourselves, and not in God. "He is of one 
mind, and who can turn him? He is the Lord, he 
changeth not." We are therefore not to look to our 
good works, but to the Redeemer's merits, and the 
infinite mercy of the Divine nature, as what will 
render God propitious to us. Though we are only 
to hope for mercy in a way of duty, it is not because 
this will render God more willing to bestow it; but 
because it is the way, which God has appointed, to 
render us more disposed and ready to receive it. It 
is an imagination very unworthy of God, to suppose, 
that we can move him to the exercise of compassion, 
whose very nature is goodness and love itself; that 
we can excite any mercy in him, whose infinite mercy 
endures for ever: or that we can procure any change 
of purpose in him, who is without any variableness 
or shadow of turning. When the glorious God treats 
with us, as if he were a partaker of human affec- 
tions and passions, this in mere condescension to our 
weakness; we being incapable to behold him as he 
is. Surely it is not to lead us into apprehensions, 
that he is altogether such an one as ourselves. Our 
business, therefore, is, to come to Christ and learn of 
him, to bow our necks to his yoke, to do good works 
from faith in Christ, and out of love and obedience to 
him; and in that way to hope in God for mercy, for 
Christ's sake, and for his own sake; and not for ours. 
We are to obey him as a gracious sovereign; and to 
hope in him as the sovereign author and donor of his 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 245 

own favours. We are to hope in his mercy, not be- 
cause we can allure him to the exercise of it, or re- 
commend ourselves to him, by any thing we can do; 
but because he is " infinite in goodness, and delighteth 
in mercy." " The gifts and calling of God are with- 
out repentance," Rom. xi. 29. 

I may add, we are not to do good works with a 
view to qualify us for our reception of Christ by faith, 
or for our interest in him. Multitudes seem most dan- 
gerously to deceive their souls in this matter. It is 
but too common a case for men to quiet their con- 
sciences, and to entertain hopes of salvation, from ap- 
prehensions, that they endeavour to be found in a 
way of duty, they endeavour to mortify their lusts, 
and to live a holy life; and therefore, though guilty 
of many defects both in their duties and conversations, 
they hope God will accept them upon Christ's ac- 
count, that the merits of Christ will make up the de- 
fects of their performances, and his blood cleanse 
them from the guilt of their sins. If they should fall 
into some more gross and enormous sin, or grow care- 
less and remiss in duty, they will then, perhaps, fall 
into a panic, and terrify themselves with apprehen- 
sions, that Christ will not accept such as they are : but 
when they have reformed their conduct, their fears 
blow over, and they revive their hopes, that they 
shall yet obtain mercy for Christ's sake. And what 
is the natural language of all this, but that they shall 
obtain an interest in Christ by their good works; and 
when they have done their part, he will do the rest, 
will make up the defects of their attainments, and 
give such a value to their sincere (though imperfect) 
obedience, that this shall recommend them to the fa- 
vour and acceptance of God. As though the glorious 
Redeemer undertook our ransom, for no other end, 
than to render our deficient duties meritorious, and 
our sins innocent and inoffensive. This legal and 
self-righteous principle seems generally to obtain with 
the careless, carnal world. And when sinners come 
under conviction of their guilt and danger, they are 
yet influenced by the same legal disposition, though 



246 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

it appear in another form. What distressing fears 
and terrors do they usually agonize under? How im- 
possible it is to give them any sensible view of the 
hope that is set before them! But what stands in the 
way? Their sins are great, their hearts are hard, their 
duties formal and hypocritical, their corruptions pre- 
valent, that they cannot think Christ will accept such 
as they are; and therefore they dare not venture their 
souls and their eternal interests upon him. Were the 
case otherwise, could they subdue their stubborn 
hearts, could they get a victory over these corruptions, 
sanctify their depraved affections, and be more spirit- 
ual in their duties; or in other words, could they 
themselves begin their own salvation, then they could 
depend upon Christ to carry on the work in their 
souls ; and then they could hope that God would ac- 
cept them for Christ's sake. But all this is to substi- 
tute our own righteousness in the place and stead of 
the righteousness of Christ: or, at best, to divide the 
work of our salvation between Christ and ourselves. 

Will you bear with me, Sir, if I am forced to ex- 
press my fears, that you are yet under too great re- 
mainders of this unhappy disposition. I rejoice in 
your recovery from your late dangerous mistake. I 
cannot but hope, that you have " chosen the good 
part," which shall not be taken from you. But what 
mean the frequent returns of your desponding hours ? 
Whence do your hopes and fears bear proportion to 
your present frames? What occasions those many 
dark apprehensions, not only that you have not yet 
an interest in Christ, but that you shall never attain 
to it? I entreat you to consider, that Christ came to 
save sinners; and that we must come to him, and trust 
in him as sinners, having no valuable qualification of 
our own to entitle us to his favour, nothing but our 
guilt and pollution, and his sufficiency to plead for 
our acceptance with, and interest in him. In propor- 
tion as you look to your own qualifications to recom- 
mend you to Christ, so far you practically make a Sa- 
viour of your good works, and reject the terms of sal- 
vation by Jesus Christ. As it is certain, that you can 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 247 

have no good works, which are acceptable to God for 
any saving purpose, till you have faith in Christ ; so 
it is also certain, that you need not seek for any in 
order to your cheerful trust in him and dependence 
upon him, to justify you by his righteousness, to sanc- 
tify you by his Spirit, and to " make you an heir ac- 
cording to the hope of eternal life." The gospel 
brings glorious tidings of salvation to perishing sin- 
ners. It exempts and excludes none who will come 
to Christ for life, who will come to him as lost sinners, 
under a sense of their guilt and unworthiness; who 
will " buy of him wine and milk, without money and 
without price ;" and who will "take the water of life 
freely." Be their sins ever so great, "his blood will 
cleanse them from all their sins." Be their hearts 
ever so hard, " he will take away their hearts of stone, 
and give them hearts of flesh." Be they ever so des- 
titute of any gracious qualification, "of his fulness 
they shall receive, even grace for grace." Whatever 
their case may be, they may safely trust in him, as 
the author of eternal salvation. But this, alas! is the 
misery and ruin of multitudes, who are pretending to 
seek salvation by Christ, that they are for dividing the 
work of their salvation between him and them : and 
by subtracting the honour of their salvation from him, 
who will dp all or nothing for them, though " they 
follow after the law of righteousness, they do not ob- 
tain it ; because they seek it, not by faith, but as it 
were by the works of the law." Here then you see 
that good works have no place at all. We are to 
look after no recommending qualifications for an in- 
terest in Christ: but to come to him guilty and mise- 
rable as we are, that he may be all and in all, be all 
to us, and do all in us and for us. He came not to 
call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Matt, 
ix. 13. 

I must further add, that we are not to do good 
works, in expectation that we shall by them obtain a 
title to the future inheritance. Heaven is a purchased 
possession. Our title to it, our qualification for it, our 
perseverance in the way that leads thither, and our 



248 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



eternal enjoyment of the glorious inheritance, are all 
purchased by the blood of Christ. In all these respects 
Christ Jesus is our hope; and when "we rejoice in 
hope of the glory of God, we must rejoice in Christ 
Jesus, having no confidence in the flesh." It cannot 
be too deeply impressed upon our hearts, that it is 
" not by works of righteousness, which we have done, 
but of his mercy, that God saveth us." It is mere 
mercy in the eternal contrivance of our salvation by 
Christ; mere mercy, in his incarnation, humiliation, 
obedience and sufferings for us; mere mercy in the 
application of his redemption to our souls; mere mercy 
that " we are kept by the power of God, through faith 
to salvation;" and mere mercy that Christ will at last 
" present us faultless before the throne of God, with 
exceeding joy." It is "to the praise of the glory of 
his grace, wherein we are made accepted in the be- 
loved." Our good works cannot have any share in pur- 
chasing our title to this salvation. They cannot make 
atonement for our sins; because the iniquity of our 
most holy things stands in need of atonement. They 
cannot give us a covenant-right to mercy; because we 
are antecedently sinners, and obnoxious to the curses 
of the broken law. They cannot make us meet for sal- 
vation; because by their imperfections they still leave 
us open to the curse; and because they cannot sanc- 
tify our nature, and give us new hearts. Nor can they 
give us any claim to the special influences of the 
Spirit of God; because then our sanctification would 
be of debt and not of grace. What then can they do ? 
No more, than to bring us to the foot of a sovereign 
God, to wait upon him in the way of his appoint- 
ments, that " he would work in us, both to will and 
to do of his good pleasure." 

You will remember, that I am here speaking of our 
being entitled to salvation by our good works; and 
not of their usefulness to our spiritual and eternal wel- 
fare. In the former sense, they must be utterly dis- 
claimed ; and all righteousnesses esteemed but as filthy 
rags; as I have particularly shown you in some for- 
mer letters. In the latter sense, they must be dili- 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 249 

gently and painfully pursued, and attended to; as I 
shall more fully set before you. Our business there- 
fore is with most earnest application to " watch daily 
at wisdom's gates, and wait at the posts of her doors," 
to use our most active endeavours in all the ways of 
godliness, righteousness, and charity, doing all in the 
name of Christ, and when we have done all we can, 
to come still as lost, guilty, worthless and helpless sin- 
ners, self-loathing and self-condemning, to the throne 
of mercy, acknowledging that to us belongs shame 
and confusion of face; and that we have nothing to 
plead but the riches of redeeming love, and the bound- 
less grace of God in Christ, for the acceptance either 
of our persons or services. In our highest attainments, 
we should come before God with that language of 
faith, Dan, ix. 18, "We do not present our supplica- 
tions before thee, for our righteousnesses, but for thy 
great mercies." 

I shall only subjoin, that we must not depend upon 
our good works for a progressive sanctification, for 
renewed supplies of grace, and for a continued pro- 
gress in holiness and comfort, unto God's heavenly 
kingdom. It is a dangerous mistake, which too many 
seem to fall into, that we are to depend upon Christ 
alone for justifying righteousness: but trust to our 
own active endeavours for inherent righteousness, for 
victory over .our corruptions, and for a conformity of 
heart and life unto the divine nature and will. Thence 
it is that although they carry on a dreadful struggle 
with their corruptions, yet these, notwithstanding all 
their purposes, promises, vows, watchings, fastings, 
and other mechanical endeavours, will still prevail, 
and often throw them into great perplexity and con- 
fusion. They are sensible, that God demands their 
hearts; and that it is impossible, their external refor- 
mations should be acceptable, while their hearts are 
far from him, and led away with divers lusts. With 
what agony and toil do they therefore worry with 
their carnal and sensual affections, their impetuous 
appetites and passions; using various methods of mor- 
tification and discipline, to correct the disorders of 

17 



250 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

their nature; and are still but rolling a stone up hill, 
which as soon as they let go, is at the bottom again. 
They are sensible, that God requires sincerity in the 
inward man in all the duties of religious worship. 
They therefore groan under the burden of their reli- 
gious defects, their deadness, formality and wander- 
ing thoughts in their approaches to God; condemn 
every duty they perform, and resolve upon more 
watchfulness and care for the future: but, alas! the 
difficulty remains; and they are ready to sink under 
discouraging apprehensions of their hypocrisy. In- 
deed, when they gain a little ground, their hopes are 
revived, and their endeavours animated: but when 
deadness and corruption prevail, their distress and 
fear return and prevail with them, their spirits sink, 
and they are ready to be quite discouraged. How 
many poor souls are thus labouring in the very fire, 
making a toilsome and melancholy drudgery of reli- 
gion, by their legal attempts, and their spirit of bon- 
dage? 

How far these characters are applicable to your- 
self, Sir, you can best tell. But this I know by ex- 
perience, that so far as this legal disposition prevails 
in us, it will not only darken our way, but check our 
progress in grace and holiness. If you would make 
any proficiency in your spiritual course, you ought to 
remember, that the divine life must be carried on in 
the soul, in the same manner, and by the same means, 
that it was begun there. We are not only justified 
by faith; but we must be sanctified by faith too; and 
of Christ's fulness must receive, even grace for grace. 
A cheerful dependence upon Christ for all supplies of 
grace and strength, is the way to obtain his quicken- 
ing, comforting, and strengthening influences; to have 
our hearts enlarged in the service of God; and to 
run the way of his commandments with delight. We 
must be dead to the law (to all dependence upon it 
and hope from it) if we would live unto God. Gal. 
ii. 19. Though we must discharge the duties of the 
law, and live in conformity to it: yet these must be 
done with a gospel spirit, from gospel principles and 









FAMILIAR LETTERS. 251 

motives. " What the law could not do, in that it was 
weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son, in 
the likeness of sinful flesh," and "for sin, condemned 
sin in the flesh." Would you then maintain a truly 
spiritual life, " The life which you live in the flesh, 
must, be by the faith of the Son of God," Gal. ii. 20. 
Would you maintain a conversation worthy of your 
holy profession, "your good conversation," must be 
"in Christ," 1 Pet. iii. 16. W T ould you live in the 
love of God and your neighbour, it is "faith which 
works by love," Gal. v. 6. Would you get a victory 
over the world, and all its allurements, " This is the 
victory that overcometh the world, even our faith," 
1 John v. 4. Would you be able to withstand temp- 
tations, it is "the shield of faith, by which you will 
be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked," Eph. 
vi. 16. Would you walk honestly as in the day," 
you " must put on the Lord Jesus Christ," Rom. xiii. 
13,14. Would you be strengthened in the service 
of God against all opposition, you must " be strong in 
the Lord, and in the power of his might," Eph. vi. 
10. Would you have your heart purified from sinful 
lusts, appetites and passions, you must get " your 
heart purified by faith," Acts xv. 9. Would you go 
on in your way rejoicing, you must "rejoice in Christ 
Jesus, having no confidence in the flesh," Phil. iii. 3. 
Would you persevere in the fear and service of God, 
" you must be kept by the power of God through faith 
unto salvation," 1 Pet. i. 5. Sir, it is not your busi- 
ness to run without legs, or fly without wings; but to 
go " forth in the strength of the Lord God." Despair 
of all sufficiency of your own, to mortify your corrup- 
tions, and quicken your soul in the ways of God and 
godliness. Humbly repair to the Lord Jesus Christ, 
and cheerfully trust in him for grace and strength, to 
make a successful progress in your spiritual course. 
Let not your imperfections or corruptions discourage 
you; nor let your good purposes or performances be 
the ground of your hopes: but in a diligent use of 
gospel means, "commit your way to the Lord, trust 
also in him, and he will bring it to pass." I think, 



252 FAMILIAR LETTEE8. 

you cannot so far misunderstand me, as to suppose I 
am exhorting you to depend on Christ for holiness, 
in the careless neglect of good works. This would 
be presumption and not faith. No! I am exhorting 
you to a realizing impression, that your good works 
will not sanctify your heart, your affections, or con- 
versation; when you have done all you can, that you 
must rely wholly upon the Lord Jesus Chrsist, and 
that you may rely confidently upon him, to fulfil the 
good pleasure of his goodness in your soul: and carry 
you on from grace to grace, and from strength to 
strength, till you come to the measure of the stature 
of a perfect man in Christ Jesus. Thus I have shown 
you negatively in some instances, to what purposes 
our good works are not necessary, and in what re- 
spects they may not be depended upon. 

I proceed in the next place to show you affirma- 
tively, in what respects they are of necessity; and to 
what purposes they must be done by all those who 
would approve themselves Christians indeed. 

1. Then good works are necessary, as being one 
design of our election, redemption, and effectual voca- 
tion. They are one end of our election. " God hath 
chosen us in Christ, before the foundation of the 
world, that we should be holy and without blame be- 
fore him in love," Eph. i. 4. And it is by a life of 
good works, and a progress in holiness, that we are 
to make it evident to ourselves, that we were "chosen 
unto salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, 
and belief of the truth." And accordingly we are 
exhorted in this way, " to give diligence to make our 
calling and election sure," 2 Pet. i. 10. Good works 
are likewise one end and design of our redemption in 
Christ. He "gave himself for us, that he might re- 
deem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a 
peculiar people, zealous of good works," Tit. ii. 14. 
And they who are indeed interested in this redemp- 
tion, who indeed have believed in God our Saviour, 
who sincerely trust in Christ for needed supplies, will 
feel the power of his grace, quickening their souls, 
and exciting in them a zealous carefulness to main- 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 253 

tain good works: and therefore such have no grounds 
to conclude upon their interest in Christ, who live 
careless, sensual lives, in the neglect of duty to God, 
of righteousness or charity to men; or in a willing 
indulgence of any way of sinning. I may add, 
good works are also the end of our vocation. " God 
hath called us unto holiness," 1 Thess. iv. 7. We 
are accordingly instructed, that " as he which hath 
called us is holy, so we should be holy in all manner 
of conversation/' 1 Pet. i. 15. None therefore have 
any grounds to flatter themselves with the dream of 
a regenerate state, while they indulge themselves in 
any sinful way, or live in the neglect of good works; 
whatever experiences they may pretend to, or what- 
ever joys and comforts they may entertain. " This 
we are to affirm constantly, that they which Relieve 
in God, must be, and will be careful to maintain good 
works," Tit. iii. 8. Though good works are not the 
fountain and foundation of a renewed nature, they 
are always the streams that flow from that fountain, 
and the superstructure upon that foundation. Though 
they do not sanctify us, they are the natural and ne- 
cessary actings and operations of a sanctified heart. 
An unholy life gives the lie to our profession of a 
holy state; and infers on us the just denomination of 
liars. 1 Johnji. 4. It defeats all pretensions to effec- 
tual calling; it contradicts the very end of conversion; 
and is contrary to the unalterable tendency of the 
new nature. Grace is given for exercise; and is a 
vital, operative principle. We shall therefore receive 
the grace of God in vain, if the principle be not ex- 
erted in agreeable practice. 

2. Good works are necessary, as they belong to 
the way leading to heaven, and are preparative for 
the possession of it. They are so necessary in this 
respect, that it is certain, that no man who has the 
opportunity after his conversion for a life of good 
works, will ever get to heaven in any other way. 
"Without holiness no man shall see the Lord," Heb. 
xii. 14. We must not only " enter in at the strait 
gate," but walk in " the narrow way which leadeth 



254 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

unto life." Christ is the supreme and comprehensive 
way: but holiness is a subordinate and subservient 
way. Neither do any walk in Christ, unless they 
walk before him in true holiness. They who would 
hope for heaven hereafter, must have it begun in their 
souls here. Their hearts must be in some measure 
conformed to the Divine nature and will, that they 
may be attempered and qualified for the enjoyments 
and employments of the heavenly world. How could 
such men find comfort and pleasure in the eternal 
service of God, to whom his service here is ungrate- 
ful and burdensome? None therefore are in the way 
to heaven, but they who by a life of holiness are pre- 
paring, and labouring after a "meetness to be a par- 
taker of an inheritance among the saints in light." 
There is nothing more certain, than that a life of sin 
and impiety, sloth and irreligion, leads down to the 
chambers of death: and it is therefore equally cer- 
tain, that Christ Jesus leads none to heaven in that 
road. It is true, indeed, that we may be in the way 
to heaven, while compassed with many infirmities, 
while groaning under much deadness and formality 
in duty, while liable to many involuntary surprises 
into sin, while greatly defective in our religious at- 
tainments, and in our conduct both towards God and 
man. But they have not this hope, who live in the 
wilful neglect of known duty, who deliberately in- 
dulge themselves in known ways of sinning against 
God. Who roll any iniquity as a sweet morsel under 
their tongue; or live in an allowed violation of the 
laws of righteousness, charity, and peace towards men. 
"If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none 
of his." And if any man have the Spirit of Christ, 
the fruit of the Spirit in him will be "love, joy, peace, 
long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, 
temperance:" and "they who live in the Spirit, will 
also walk in the Spirit." We must " by a patient 
continuance in well doing, seek for glory, honour, 
and immortality," if we would inherit eternal life. 

3. Good works are necessary as acts of obedience 
to God's commands; and a just acknowledgment of 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



255 



his dominion over us. By right of creation, the bless- 
ed God has an unalienable claim to homage and ho- 
nour from us. By the immutable laws of our very 
being and nature, as his creatures and dependents, 
we are under bonds of subjection and obedience to 
him. The grace of the gospel does not cancel those 
natural obligations, or lessen the force of them. Christ 
came not to destroy the law: nor do we make void 
the law through faith, but rather establish it. The 
great God has not laid down his right of sovereignty 
and dominion over us, by affording us a medium of 
reconciliation to himself, and a title to eternal happi- 
ness: but rather has that way laid us under further 
and stronger obligations to obedience. Our freedom 
from the curse and severe demands of the moral law, 
as a covenant of life, is so far from freeing us of our 
duty towards it as a rule of practice, or excusing us 
from a careful observance of its precepts, that the glo- 
rious liberty we are made partakers of, is given us 
for this very end, " that we may serve God without 
fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the 
days of our lives." Though the moral law be pre- 
sented to us now under some different respects and 
considerations, from what it was originally, yet the 
same law remains the rule of obedience, confirmed 
and enforced, (as such,) by the gospel itself. Whence 
it follows, that to live a careless, sinful, sensual, world- 
ly life, in the neglect of our duty towards God, our 
neighbour, and ourselves, is more aggravated rebel- 
lion against God, than the same life of impiety would 
have been under the covenant of works. For now a 
life of impiety is not only a violation of the precepts 
of the law, but of the gospel too. And the greater 
discoveries God has been pleased to make of his glo- 
rious perfections, the greater manifestations he has 
made of his goodness and mercy, the greater are our 
obligations to obedience, and consequently the greater 
will be our rebellion, as well as ingratitude, if we con- 
tinue disobedient. We are therefore to consider, that 
instead of God's suspending his right of dominion, or 
abating our obligations to obedience, under the pre- 



256 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

sent dispensation of the gospel light and love, he re- 
quires and expects of us greater watchfulness and 
care to please and honour him, greater purity and 
holiness, than under the more legal and imperfect dis- 
pensation of Moses. It is undoubtedly true, that 
those sins and imperfections which were consistent 
with a state of grace, under the Mosaic dispensation, 
are not so now under the Christian dispensation; 
wherein not only we have more light and knowledge, 
but Christians indeed do obtain more purifying and 
quickening influences of the Spirit, than they then 
ordinarily did. There is therefore no room to exten- 
uate our falls into sin., by the examples of the Jewish 
saints. For though that ministration was glorious, 
yet " the ministration of the Spirit is more glorious, 
has a glory that vastly excelleth," 2 Cor. iii. 8, 9, 10. 
By the "beholding of which glory of the Lord, we 
are changed into the same image, from glory to 
glory;" v. 18. Our enjoying the promises of the gos- 
pel lays us under the strongest and most indispensa- 
ble obligations, to "cleanse ourselves from all filthi- 
ness of flesh and spirit," and to "perfect holiness in 
the fear of God;" 2 Cor. vii. 1. God forbid that 
any of us "should continue in sin, that grace may 
abound:" or turn "the grace of God into lascivious- 
ness." This would determine us to be "ungodly 
men, who deny the only Lord God, and our Lord Je- 
sus Christ." Jude 4. Hence it is, that the disobe- 
dience of gospel sinners will bring upon them the 
greatest and most dreadful damnation. See Heb. x. 
29. 

4. Good works are necessary, as expressions of our 
gratitude to God for all his goodness to us, more es- 
pecially for gospel grace, and most especially for the 
gracious influences of his blessed Spirit. Impossible 
it is, for us to have any due conception, how great 
our debt of gratitude is, to our infinite benefactor. 
"He has made us, and not we ourselves, his hands 
have framed and fashioned us round about." He has 
preserved us through innumerable difficulties and 
dangers, and all our lives continually followed us 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 257 

with loving kindness and tender mercies. He has 
made this mighty globe for our use, with all its amaz- 
ing variety of furniture, fitted to supply us with what- 
ever is necessary, convenient, comfortable, or de- 
lightful. He has distinguished us very much from 
the greatest part of our fellow creatures, by the abun- 
dance of our enjoyments, and the greatness of our 
privileges. And if all these, and the innumerable 
other instances of the inexpressible kindness and 
goodness of God to us, be not sufficient to excite our 
gratitude, and to attract our affections to such an in- 
finite fountain of benevolence, yet certainly our re- 
demption by Jesus Christ, Our enjoyment of gospel 
ordinances, our advantages to live to God in this 
world, and to be eternally happy in the enjoyment of 
him in the future state of everlasting light and love, 
are enough to carry our minds beyond admiration, 
and even to overwhelm them with astonishment. 
And what returns does the glorious God expect from 
us, for all this? No more, than the love and obe- 
dience of our thankful hearts and fruitful lives: No 
more, than to live to him, and delight in him, grate- 
fully to receive, and faithfully to improve the benefits 
he is bestowing upon us. He requires nothing of us, 
but that we should be ready to every good work, out 
of love and gratitude to God. How unworthy shall 
we therefore' be for ever, of one smile of his counte- 
nance, or the least favour and kindness, if the infinite 
goodness of God, his infinite love and compassion 
in Christ, do not constrain us, to renounce our lusts 
and idols, and make it our delightful endeavour to 
seek and serve him! He may well expostulate with 
such, as with his ancient people, "Will ye thus re- 
quite the Lord, foolish people, and unwise!" He 
justly may, and certainly will exclude from the glory 
and blessedness of his eternal praises, those who 
have not hearts to love him, and serve him, and 
praise him here. They who have ever tasted that 
the Lord is gracious, and have any becoming sense 
of their obligations to him, will study what they shall 
render to the Lord for all his benefits; they will de- 



258 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



light in endeavours to glorify him ; they will be soli- 
citously careful of a constant conformity to his will, 
and take a peculiar pleasure and pains in following 
after holiness. 

5. As I have distinctly considered in my last, good 
works are necessary evidences of the truth and sin- 
cerity of our faith in Christ. And I need only add 
here, It is a faithful saying, which cannot be too much 
insisted upon, that they who pretend to have believed 
in God, must be careful to maintain good works. All 
their profession of religion, all their imaginary faith 
in Christ, all their peace and joy, all their appearance 
in the cause of truth, all their seeming zeal for the 
glory of God, the interest of religion, and the conver- 
sion and salvation of sinners, or whatever else they 
may suppose evidences of their renewed state, will 
prove but as sounding brass and tinkling cymbal, 
without a real life of good works. Such are greatly 
to be pitied, who can have peace from any supposed 
experiences of grace, while they walk in the imagina- 
tions of their own hearts. The Lord Jesus Christ 
will own none as belonging to him, but those who are 
a peculiar people, in some measure, zealous of good 
works. He will in the day of accounts declare to all 
others, that he never knew them, and sentence them 
to depart from him, as workers of iniquity. But to 
this I have spoken particularly already, and there- 
fore shall only subjoin here, that obedience is the 
genuine exercise, and therefore a necessary evidence 
of faith unfeigned. What are good works, but works 
of faith; or faith in operation, exciting other graces 
to their proper action and exercise? Without we ex- 
emplify the " obedience of faith, our faith is vain." 

6. Good works are necessary to honour our pro- 
fession, to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour, 
and to bring glory to his name. There is nothing in- 
fers a greater scandal upon our holy religion, than 
the unsanctified lives of its professors. This gives 
occasion to the enemies of the cross of Christ, to blas- 
pheme his name, and speak evil of the way of truth; 
to call religion itself a cheat; and judge all that make 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



259 



an appearance of holiness, to be hypocrites and false 
pretenders. This casts a stumbling block in the way 
of poor souls, that are beginning to look Zionward; 
and proves a sad temptation to apostasy. This hard- 
ness secures sinners in their sinful courses, and paci- 
fies their consciences, from the thought that such who 
make pretences to religion, are impious and wicked, 
as well as they. And what is still worse, "if while 
we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also 
are found sinners," this brings great dishonour upon 
our blessed Saviour, as though he were the minister 
of sin, and has a dreadful tendency to render the 
means of grace ineffectual, to quench the Spirit, and 
to drive the very form, as well as power of godliness 
out of the world. You therefore see the necessity of 
good works and of a holy life, if we have any value 
for the interest of Christ's kingdom in the world, any 
pity to the precious souls of men, any regard to the 
honour of our blessed Saviour, and the holy religion 
which we profess, and any desire to escape having 
the guilt of other men's sins, as well as our own, 
charged to our account in the day of Christ. If there 
be any force in these and many other like motives, to 
prompt us to a life of holiness, we who profess our- 
selves Christians, should approve ourselves " a chosen 
generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a pe- 
culiar people, to show forth the praises of him, who 
has called us out of darkness into his marvellous 
light," 1 Pet. ii. 9. Indeed the chief end of man is 
to glorify God! It is the design of our creation: and 
it is the design of our redemption. " For ye are 
bought with a price ; therefore glorify God in your 
body, and in your spirit, which are God's," 1 Cor. vi. 
20. It is the design of our baptism and profession, 
and of all our experience of the operations of the Spi- 
rit of grace, and should be the scope of all our con- 
versation and practice. But how shall we act in cor- 
respondence to this design, unless " we care for the 
things of the Lord, that we may be holy, both in body 
and spirit, diligently following every good work?" 
We should study, " whatever we do, to do all to the 



260 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



glory of God," 1 Cor. x. 31. And to this purpose it 
is necessary, that we " follow not that which is evil, 
but that which is good." For " by breaking the law, 
we dishonour God:" but "herein is he glorified, that 
we bear much fruit," in an exemplary and useful 
life. 

7. Good works are likewise necessary to our in- 
ward peace and comfort. We often see that obser- 
vation verified, that the "wicked are like a troubled 
sea when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire 
and dirt;" and that " there is no peace to the wicked." 
They must have seared consciences indeed, who can 
have peaceable minds in a progress of sin, and in the 
neglect of practical godliness. A truly tender con- 
science will always remonstrate against the indul- 
gence of any sin, either of omission or commission. 
And how unhappy and uncomfortable a life is it to 
have our own hearts condemning us, to have a worm 
gnawing in our breasts, to have conscience applying 
the terrors of the law, and representing to us our guilt 
and danger? And yet this cannot be avoided without 
a life of good works. We cannot have grounds of re- 
joicing, but from " the testimony of our consciences, 
that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly 
wisdom, but by the grace of God we have had our 
conversation in the world," 2 Cor. i. 12. As they 
who live careless and sensual lives, cannot have good 
evidences of a renewed nature and a safe state, they 
must necessarily be strangers to that joy and comfort, 
which flows from the refreshing views of an interest 
in the covenant of grace, and from the sense of our 
having the eternal God for our father and friend, 
compassionately to provide for us here, and to make 
us eternally happy in the enjoyment of himself. They 
must likewise be altogether strangers to the unspeak- 
able consolation which flows from a life of commu- 
nion with God. For this is never obtained without 
a progress of holiness and good works. If therefore 
we would have the continual feast of a peaceful con- 
science ; if we would enjoy a comfortable view of the 
divine favour, and " rejoice in hope of the glory of 






FAMILIAR LETTERS. 26 1 

God;" if we would find by blessed experience, that 
the ways of wisdom are ways of pleasantness and all 
her paths are peace;" if we would obtain the feelings 
of the blessed Spirit, the earnest of our eternal inhe- 
ritance, and the foretaste of heavenly happiness, 
which are enjoyments vastly preferable to all the 
pleasures of sense, we must " add to our faith virtue," 
and maintain a life of holiness and good works. For 
"if we say, that we have fellowship with him, and 
walk in the darkness, we lie, and do not the truth," 
1 John i. 6. But " then shall I not be ashamed, when 
I have respect to all God's commandments. Great 
peace have they which love his law, and nothing 
shall offend them," Psalms cxix. 6, 165. 

I might in several other particulars exemplify to 
you the necessity of good works: but you will probably 
acknowledge, that I have said enough already to take 
off the odium cast upon us, as if we denied the neces- 
sity of good works in reference to salvation. I shall 
therefore only add, 

8. Good works are necessary in order to our escap- 
ing eternal ruin and misery. I have shown you in- 
deed, and I think it sufficiently proved, that they are 
not necessary as an atonement for our sins, or as 
what will appease the wrath of God, and procure us 
an acquittance from guilt, and a right to be freed from 
condemnation. But still it is nevertheless certain, 
that in fact no man will escape the amazing horrors 
of eternal perdition, who has had opportunity for a 
religious life, and yet has not been fruitful in good 
works. This will be the final test, to prove our sin- 
cerity towards God: and the eternal judgment will 
turn upon this evidence. The great judge of the 
world will quickly appear, and "his reward will be 
with him, to render unto every man according as his 
works have been;" and then he will inflict on those 
" who are contentious and do not obey the truth, but 
obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribula- 
tion and anguish," Rom. ii. 8, 9. 

As therefore it is not a small matter to inhabit the 
dreadful flames of hell, the seat of enraged justice and 



262 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



burning vengeance, through eternal ages, it cannot 
but be of the greatest importance to take pains to 
escape it: to "repent and obey the gospel," to watch 
and pray, to be active and diligent in all the ways of 
religion, if so be " we may be accounted worthy to 
escape," that tremendous misery, and made meet to 
"stand before the Son of Man." We have no other 
choice before us, but to be holy here, or unhappy for 
ever. We must obtain grace from God, and live to 
him in the exercise of grace, or be separated from his 
presence for ever, as unmeet objects of his favour. 
And will not all readily acknowledge, that the for- 
mer is infinitely to be preferred by every one, who 
has any just value for his present interest, or for his 
eternal happiness! How absurd is it in the view of 
common reason, to " love death," or choose an " evi- 
dent token of perdition," by being the servants of 
sin," and "obeying it in the lusts thereof!" 

I hope, Sir, I have now answered not only your 
question, but your expectation. And yet that I may 
obviate all mistakes, I will endeavour to give you a 
review of the whole, in some plain, familiar, and prac- 
tical directions. 

If you suppose yourself in an unregenerate state, 
be found most earnestly diligent in the duties of re- 
ligion, in the use of the means of grace, and in endea- 
vours of a conformity of life to the will of God, as the 
way in which God will be inquired of by you, that 
he may bestow his converting and sanctifying grace 
upon you. It is true, that God is the sovereign author 
and donor of his own special favours: but it is also 
true, that he has given you no encouragement to hope 
for them, in any other way but that of duty. In this 
way therefore do you be found; pleading with him 
for the influences of his Holy Spirit, to draw you to 
Christ, and to work the work of faith with power in 
your soul. In this way you may hope in his mercy, 
not indeed for the sake of your duties, but for the 
sake of Christ's infinite merits, and the boundless 
grace and goodness of the Divine nature. But in the 
neglect of this way of duty, you have not the least 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 263 

encouragement from the word of God, to hope for 
the renewing influences of the blessed Spirit; without 
which you are undone eternally. 

However, though even an unregenerate man must 
thus "strive to enter in at the strait gate," you must 
yet consider and realize to yourself, that you are utter- 
ly incapable of that obedience which the gospel re- 
quires, without faith in Christ. Faith is the first act 
of evangelical obedience, the root of all other graces, 
and the principle of all such religious duties as God 
will own and accept. For " without faith it is impos- 
sible to please God," Heb. xi. 6. You must "live in 
the Spirit," before you can " walk in the Spirit." 
Your first business therefore is, not only earnestly to 
pray to God, that he would draw you to Christ: but 
you must endeavour to look to this precious Saviour, 
as to a sufficient fountain of all grace, trusting your 
soul in his hands, with encouraging hope of justifica- 
tion by his righteousness, and sanctification by his 
Spirit. If your faith be sincere, you thereby lay a 
foundation of spiritual and acceptable obedience: but 
if not, the best works that you can perform, will be 
only external, hypocritical, legal, and slavish per- 
formances. You must therefore be brought to act 
faith in Christ for holiness, as the beginning of that 
salvation which you hope to obtain from him. You 
are not to look upon a life of holiness and spiritual 
obedience, as the condition of your salvation, but as 
the salvation itself, which you hope for, actually be- 
gun in your soul; and you have as much warrant 
from the invitations and promises of the gospel, to 
trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for this renovation of 
your nature by his Spirit, as for the justification of 
your person by his blood, or for an eternal inheritance 
with the saints in light. And you must accordingly 
depend upon him for it, and ask it of him in faith, or 
never obtain it. 

I have proposed these things to you, upon the sup- 
position that you have not satisfying evidences of a 
converted state. Let us now then suppose the case to 
be otherwise; and you comfortably persuaded that 



264 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

you have experienced the happy change. An humble 
and cheerful dependence upon Christ for new sup- 
plies of grace, must still be the source of your perse- 
vering obedience. Go on then to trust in him; and 
you will find that he will not fail your expectations. 
You will find, that his grace is sufficient for you. 

But do not deceive yourself with an imagination of 
your trusting in Christ, amidst a course of sinful neg- 
ligence and inactivity. Remember, that good works 
are of indispensable obligation, and of absolute neces- 
sity in the respects before mentioned. You must not 
only trust in Christ to fulfil his good pleasure in you: 
but you must live to him, in the exercise of that grace 
and strength, which you derive from him. In a hum- 
ble confidence in his sanctifying and quickening influ- 
ences, you must " take heed to yourself, and keep your 
soul with all diligence ;" you must see to it, that a your 
heart be right with God;" that you delight in the law 
of the Lord after the inward man;' 5 that you main- 
tain a strict watch over your affections, as well as 
conversation; that you neglect no known duty, to- 
ward God or man; that you carefully improve your 
time, and other talents committed to your trust; and 
endeavour, in a constant course, to maintain a holy, 
humble, fruitful, thankful life. And remember, that 
one instance of good works, which God requires of 
you, is a daily repentance of your sinful defects; and 
a daily mourning after a further progress in holiness. 
After an espousal to Christ by faith, this is the way, 
and the only way of comfort here and happiness 
hereafter. 

That I might set this important point in as clear a 
light as possible, I have laboured to represent it in 
different views; and thereby have necessarily run into 
some repetitions, for which I depend upon your can- 
dour. Now, that the Lord would bless my endea- 
vours for your best good, is the prayer of, 

Sir, Yours, &c. 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 265 



LETTER XVI. 

THE NATURE OF THE BELIEVER'S UNION TO CHRIST BRIEFLY 
EXPLAINED AND THE NECESSITY OF IT ASSERTED AND DE- 
FENDED. 

Sir — If you mean no more by your " ignorance of 
the nature of that union to Christ, which I so often 
mentioned," but that you cannot form any adequate 
idea of this incomprehensible mystery, it is nothing 
wonderful. There are multitudes of things, whose 
existence you are most intimately acquainted with, 
yet of whose special manner of existence you can 
have no idea. You have no reason therefore to 
doubt of the believer's union to Christ, because you 
do not understand the mode of it, any more than 
you have to doubt of the union of your own soul and 
body, because you do not understand the mode of it. 
It is a sufficient confirmation of the truth of this doc- 
trine, that it is revealed in the word of God. It is 
sufficient for our present imperfect state, to know so 
much of the nature of this union as God has been 
pleased to reveal in the blessed Oracles of truth. It 
is your mistake, to suppose, that "our divines do but 
occasionally mention this doctrine; but do not pre- 
tend to explain it." Numbers of divines have written 
well upon the delightful subject: though, I confess, 
it is too little considered by many of our practical 
writers (as it ought to be considered) as being the 
foundation of both our practice and hope. Were it 
more distinctly considered, more particularly explain- 
ed, and more frequently insisted upon, improved and 
applied, both from the pulpit and the press, than it is, 
it would be a probable means to check the growth of 
those dangerous errors, which prevail among us; and 
to give men a deeper sense of the necessity of experi- 
mental vital piety, in order to a well grounded hope of 
the favour of God. You have therefore reason to de- 

18 



266 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

sire " a just, plain, and familiar view of this doctrine." 
And I shall endeavour according to your desire, in as 
plain and easy a manner as I can, to give a brief and 
distinct answer to your several questions. 

Your first question is, "What is the nature of that 
union to Christ, which the Scriptures speak of; and 
what are we to understand by it?" 

In answer to this question, it may be proper in the 
first place, to give you a brief view of the various re- 
presentations of this union, in the word of God; and 
from thence proceed to take some notice of the special 
nature of it, as it is represented in the Scriptures. 

It is sometimes represented by the strongest ex- 
pressions that human language can admit, and even 
compared to the union between God the Father and 
God the Son. Thus, John xviii. 11, 21, 22, 23. 
" Holy Father, keep through thine own name those 
whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as 
we are. That they all may be one, as thou Father 
art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one 
in us. That they may be one, even as we are one. 
I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made 
perfect in one." 

This union is sometimes represented in Scripture 
by lively metaphors and resemblances. 

It is compared to the union of a vine and its 
branches. Thus, John xv. 4, 5: " Abide in me, and 
I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, 
except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except 
ye abide in me. I am the vine, and ye are the 
branches. He that abideth in me and I in him, the 
same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye 
can do nothing." 

It is compared to the union of our meat and drink 
with our bodies. Thus, John vi. 56, 57: "He that 
eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in 
me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent 
me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, 
even he shall live by me." 

It is frequently compared to the union of the body 
to the head. Thus, Eph. iv. 15, 16: "But speaking 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



267 



the truth in love, may grow np into him in all things, 
which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole 
body fitly joined together, and compacted by that 
which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual 
working in the measure of every part, maketh in- 
crease of the body, unto the edifying itself in love." 

It is sometimes compared to the conjugal union. 
Thus, Eph. v. 23, 30: " For the husband is the head 
of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church, 
and he is the saviour of the body. For we are mem- 
bers of his body, of his flesh and of his bones." Rom. 
vii. 4: " Wherefore my brethren, ye also are become 
dead to the law by the body of Christ, that ye should 
be married to another, even to him who is raised 
from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto 
God." 

It is likewise compared to the union of a building, 
whereof Christ is considered as the foundation or chief 
corner stone. Thus, 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5, 6: "To whom 
coming as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of 
men, but chosen of God and precious, ye also are 
built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer 
up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus 
Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the Scrip- 
ture, Behold, I lay in Zion, a chief cornerstone, elect, 
precious." 

I might add, that this union is sometimes repre- 
sented in Scripture by an identity or sameness of spi- 
rit. Thus, 1 Cor. vi. 17: " He that is joined unto the 
Lord is one spirit." 

It is sometimes represented by an identity of body. 
Thus, 1 Cor. xii. 12, 27: "For as the body is one, 
and hath many members; and all the members of 
that body being many, are one body; so also is Christ. 
Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in par- 
ticular." 

It is also represented by an identity of interest. 
Matt. xxv. 40. "Verily I say unto you, inasmuch 
as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my 
brethren, ye have done it unto me." Christ and be- 
lievers have one common Father. John xx. 17. "I 



268 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my 
God, and your God." They have one common in- 
heritance. Rom. viii. 17. "Heirs of God, and joint- 
heirs with Christ." And they have one common 
place of eternal residence. John xiv. 3. " And if I go 
and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and 
receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye 
may be also." 

From this brief and general view of the scriptural 
representations of our union with Christ, I now pro- 
ceed to consider, somewhat distinctly, what is the 
special nature of this union, and what we are to un- 
derstand by it. Now it may not be improper, in the 
first place, to consider it negatively, and say what it 
is not, before I enter upon an affirmative explication 
and illustration of it. 

I need not take any pains to convince you, that this 
union is not an essential or personal union. The 
union of the Trinity in the Godhead, is essential: the 
union of the divine and human nature in Christ is 
personal. But it were blasphemy, to suppose either 
of these kinds of union, in the case before us. Should 
we suppose the former, we should attribute divine 
perfection to ourselves. Should we suppose the latter, 
we should make ourselves joint-mediators of the cove- 
nant, with the glorious Redeemer. Either of which 
is too horribly profane, to find any admission into our 
minds. Though Christ and believers are one, as he 
and the Father are one, this is to be understood with 
respect to the resemblance there is, in point of reality 
and nearness of union; and. not with respect to the 
nature and kind of it. 

It is likewise unnecessary to endeavour to prove 
to you, that this union is not of the same kind with 
those natural and local unions, with which we are 
acquainted. Though the word union is apt to carry 
away our minds into an imagination of a contact, 
mixture, inhesion, or the like, we are to remember, 
that these are too gross and low conceptions of this 
astonishing mystery, to be entertained by us. We 
are to remember, that our union is to him who is by 






FAMILIAR LETTERS. 269 

the right hand of God exalted, and who is set down 
on the right hand of the Majesty on high. 

These things need not be insisted upon ; the mere 
proposing of them compels your assent. But it seems 
there is another thing requires more particular con- 
sideration, which is, that the union I am treating of, 
is not to be considered as a mere civil or political 
union. It is through want of a right view of this 
gospel mystery, that you tell me, " You can under- 
stand no more by our being united to Christ, than a 
near relation to him as our Lord and Saviour;" and 
" if there be any more implied in it, than a relative 
and political union (you confess) you have no idea of 
it." I hope Sir, your internal experience has in this 
case gone beyond your speculation: your state, I 
think, must otherwise be most dangerous and misera- 
ble. If you will view the scriptural representations 
which I have already given of this matter, you must 
see, that there is much more than a mere rela- 
tive, civil, or political union, implied in these em- 
phatical expressions, of being one with Christ, as he 
is one with the Father; of abiding in him and he in 
us; of being united as the vine and the branches; of 
being so joined to the Lord, as to be one Spirit with 
him; of being the body of Christ, and members in 
particular; -with others of the like nature. It is im- 
possible to give any rational construction of these and 
the like passages of Scripture, upon the supposition 
of a mere political union. And you must acknow- 
ledge, that a political or relative union is not peculiar 
to believers. "All power is given to Christ both in 
heaven and earth." Angels, men, and devils are in 
this sense united under the kingdom and government 
of the Lord Jesus Christ; and shall accordingly be all 
accountable to him in the day of retribution. This 
therefore cannot be the meaning of the union in ques- 
tion. 

I shall now proceed to consider affirmatively, (ac- 
cording to the light given us in the Scripture) what 
the nature of this union is. And here, 

1. It must be considered as a mystical union. This 



270 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

(says the Apostle) is a great mystery, Eph. v. 32. So 
great, as to admit of no clear and full illustration, at 
least in this imperfect state. From whence we have 
a further evidence, that it is not a mere relative and 
political union, in which there is nothing mysterious, 
nothing but what is familiar and easy enough to be 
understood; while the union under consideration, is 
altogether incomprehensible. The reality and certain- 
ty of this union is clearly revealed, and the blessed 
effects of it are experienced by all the children of God; 
but the manner of it (like the divine person, God in- 
carnate, to whom we are united) is not only above 
our knowledge, but above our search and inquiry. 
This may perhaps be matter of prejudice in the minds 
of some, against the doctrine before us, that it is in- 
scrutable and unintelligible: but the same objection 
lies against the most important articles of our faith 
and hope; and even against many undoubted certain- 
ties in the kingdom of nature as well as of grace. 
There is the same reason to doubt of the union of the 
three Persons in the Godhead, of the union of the di- 
vine and human natures in the person of the Son of 
God, and even the union of our own souls and bodies. 
We may have reason to believe, what our reason 
cannot search out or inquire into: And when that is 
the case, the more mysterious and unsearchable is the 
modus of any thing, which God hath revealed, the 
more it should be the subject of our acknowledgment 
and admiration. Thus in the present case, because 
this is the Lord's doing and marvellous in our eyes; 
therefore should we adore the Wonderful dispensation 
of grace, and rejoice and be glad in it. 

2. I must also observe to you, that this is a spiritual 
union. Such an union whereby being joined to the 
Lord we are one Spirit with him, 1 Cor. vi. 17, by 
which we may understand, that believers partake of 
the same divine Spirit, and the same divine influences 
and operations, with our blessed Mediator and Mas- 
ter: This difference being excepted, that we have 
only lower degrees of the divine communications; 
" but to him God giveth not the Spirit by measure/' 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 27 1 

We partake of the rays; he of the full sun of divine 
light and grace; and in him are all the treasures of 
grace, as in the repository or fountain from whence we 
derive those supplies which we are partakers of. The 
blessed Spirit, who is in Christ an infinite fountain of 
all grace, communicates some emanations of the same 
grace to us, whereby we are (though in a low and 
imperfect degree) conformed to the divine will, made 
partakers of the divine nature, have Christ dwelling 
in us, and we in him. I confess, I am afraid, in this 
mysterious depth of divine wisdom and grace, of 
" darkening counsel by words without knowledge." I 
shall therefore not adventure to inquire into the mo- 
dality of this unity of Spirit in Christ and believers; 
but only endeavour to consider it in a Scriptural and 
practical light: in such a light, as it is necessary it 
should be considered and understood, by all that 
would obtain a sure foundation of hope, and needed 
supplies of grace and strength, for a holy and spiritual 
walk with God. 

Let it then be first observed, that by this union be- 
lievers have all needful supplies of grace treasured up 
for them in Christ. In which respect, it is said, " All 
things are theirs: for they are Christ's, and Christ is 
God's," 1 Cor. iii. 21, 23. " In Christ are hid all the 
treasures of wisdom and knowledge: and we are 
complete in him, who is the head of all principality 
and power," Col. ii. 3, 10. By which means believers 
are " blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly 
places in Christ," Eph. i. 3. And Christ is " made of 
God unto them wisdom, and righteousness, and sanc- 
tification, and redemption," 1 Cor. i. 30. By these 
and other like texts of Scripture, believers have mat- 
ter of great consolation, even in their sharpest temp- 
tations and lowest frames; in that how dead soever 
their affections may be, and how dark soever their 
circumstances may appear, they have an inexhausti- 
ble fountain of grace treasured up for them in Christ; 
and by virtue of their union to him, they have an in- 
terest in his person, they have an interest in his graces, 
and are secure of all necessary communications of 



272 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

grace as he shall see their case requires. The believer's 
refuge, therefore, in all his trials, in all his prevailing 
darkness, deadness, temptation, and imperfection, is to 
act faith in Christ, for grace to help in time of need. 
There is a sufficient stock laid up for him in the hands 
of Christ; and if he will reach forth the hand of the 
soul, and by a believing view of the fulness of Christ 
be ready to receive, he shall surely find the " grace of 
Christ sufficient for him," and " the strength of Christ 
made perfect in his weakness." If he v/ill " eat 
Christ's flesh and drink his blood," that is, if he will 
exercise a lively faith in him, he shall by virtue of this 
communication of the Spirit of grace, " dwell in Christ 
and Christ in him," John vi. 56. 

Hence also believers, by being joined to the Lord, 
are one Spirit with him in another respect. They 
" have the same mind in them, that is in Christ Jesus." 
They have the interest of the Redemer's kingdom at 
heart, as their own interest. They have their wills 
in some measure subjected to the will of Christ. They 
who abide in him, do carefully endeavour to walk 
even as he walked, to make him their exemplar, in 
the regulation of their affections, appetites, passions, 
and of their whole conduct and conversation; in their 
aims, desires, delights, love to, and zeal for the service 
of God; in love to the brethren, and in their diligence 
and activity in doing the work he has appointed them, 
while it is day. " He that thus keepeth his com- 
mandments, dwelleth in Christ and Christ in him: 
and hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the 
spirit which he hath given us," 1 John iii. 24. But, 
" he that hath not thus the spirit of Christ, is none of 
his," Rom. vii. 9. 

And hence believers shall finally be perfected when 
they come to receive the full communications of his 
grace, in the future world. It is by their union to 
Christ, and supplies derived from the fulness which is 
in him, that glorified saints attain to the perfection of 
knowledge and grace. By this are they perfectly de- 
livered from all remainders of sin and corruption: by 
this are all the powers and faculties of their souls 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



273 



brought into a glorious conformity unto Christ him- 
self, that "they shall be like him, when they see him 
as he is:" and by this they are completely qualified 
for the ravishing joys of the heavenly state, and the 
eternal praises of redeeming love. " In the dispensa- 
tion of the fulness of times, God will gather together 
in one, all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, 
and which are in earth, even in him. That we should 
be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in 
Christ," Eph. i. 10, 12. "I in them, and thou in me, 
that they may be made perfect in one. Father, I 
will, that they also whom thou hast given me, be with 
me where I am, that they may behold my glory, 
which thou hast given me," John xvii. 23, 24, 

Here, Sir, it will be proper to make a pause; and 
to consider this with a special application to your own 
state. It is proper to consider where it is that you 
are looking for supplies of grace; to your own good 
purposes and endeavours, to your prayers, medita- 
tions, good affections, and resolutions; or to this in- 
exhaustible treasury of grace, that there is in Christ, 
to be obtained by the renewed exercise of faith in 
him. It is proper to consider, whether you are indeed 
joined to the Lord; and have one Spirit with him. 
Whether you have a sensible experience of the blessed 
operations of the Holy Spirit, divorcing you from 
your idols, mortifying your corrupt appetites and pas- 
sions, quickening your graces, and inflaming your 
affections to God and godliness; at least, whether 
you are groaning under the burden of your imperfec- 
tions; and groaning after the quickening influence of 
the divine Spirit in your soul, to bring and keep you 
nearer to God; and whether the Spirit does thus help 
your infirmities, with groanings that cannot be uttered. 
It is proper to consider, whether you have the evi- 
dence of your union to Christ, by your being a partaker 
of the Divine nature, by your steady desire and en- 
deavour of conformity and subjection to the divine 
will, by your having the interest of the Redeemer's 
kingdom at heart, and by keeping your eye upon his 
glorious example, that you may follow his steps; and 



274 



F AMIL IAR LETTER 



whether you are still looking to him by faith, for his 
quickening influences, and for an interest in his inter- 
cession, whensoever you find yourself come short in 
these attainments. You will pardon this digression, 
when you consider by what motive it is occasioned. 
You will remember, that I am not explaining this 
fundamental principle of Christianity, as a mere mat- 
ter of speculation, or to entertain your curiosity; but 
that you may know what is the hope of your calling, 
what the foundation of your confidence; and where 
the returns are to be made for all your experience of 
grace and life. But it is time I should proceed to 
some further description of the nature of that union 
to Christ under consideration. I shall but briefly hint 
a few particulars more. 

3. Then there is such an union between Christ and 
believers, whereby the whole church becomes the 
body of Christ; and all true believers are members 
in particular. " He is given to be head over all things 
to his church, which is his body, the fulness of him 
that filleth all in all," Eph. i. 22, 23. " Now ye are 
the body of Christ, and members in particular," 1 
Cor. xiii. 27. " Of whom the whole family in heaven 
and earth is named," Ephes. iii. 15. The whole 
church, whether militant or triumphant, are by their 
union to Christ one church, one family, and one 
body, whereof Christ himself is the head. The family 
in heaven indeed, as adult children, have their in- 
heritance in possession, while the family on earth as 
minors in their non-age, have only necessary sup- 
plies for their support, and comfort and growth, until 
they come unto "a perfect man, unto the measure of 
the stature of the fulness of Christ." But then the ful- 
ness of the glory in the one, and the gradual progress 
of grace in the other, are both the product of their 
union to Christ. And as the whole church is the 
body of Christ, so each particular believer is a mem- 
ber of that body; and hath both his body and soul 
united unto the person of Christ; by an union that 
can never be dissolved, by an union that will not only 
continue with the soul, in its separate and interme- 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 275 

diate state; but will also continue with the body, in 
its slate of dissolution, whereby its glorious resur- 
rection and final renovation will be secured; and 
" them which sleep in Jesus, will God bring with 
him/' 

4. This union is such, that Christ and believers 
have one common interest. I have hinted at this be- 
fore, but it requires some more particular illustration. 
It should then be observed, that in the great design 
of reconciling sinners to God, and preparing a chosen 
number for eternal glory, Christ and the church were 
one mystical person: so one, that what he did was 
imputed to them, as if done by them; and what they 
deserved was imputed to him, as if he had been per- 
sonally obnoxious. Thus the Lord Jesus Christ is 
called "the lord otjr righteousness;'' Jer. xxiii. 6. 
And the church, by virtue of this union to Christ, is 
considered as the same person, and has the same 
characters ascribed to her. " This is the name where- 
with she shall be called, The Lord our Righteous- 
ness;" Jer. xxxiii. 16. This identity of person was 
founded on the eternal covenant of redemption. The 
Lord Jesus Christ was foreordained to the office and 
work of a Saviour and Mediator, before the founda- 
tion of the world; 1 Pet. i. 29. And "we were 
chosen in him before the foundation of the world; 
and predestinated unto the adoption of children by 
him;" and thus " we become accepted in the belov- 
ed;" Eph. i. 4, 5, 6. And as he was foreordained to 
the work and office of a Redeemer, so likewise to all 
that grace, righteousness, strength, and glory required 
thereunto; not only to that which was peculiar to 
himself, but to that also, which was needful to be 
communicated to the church, and to all that should 
ever believe on him, in their state of probation here, 
or perfection hereafter. And on the other hand, as 
believers were chosen in him, so they were chosen to 
be partakers with him, in that common stock or de- 
positum committed to him, for both their present and 
eternal interest and happiness. Thus the obedience 
of our Lord Jesus Christ becomes our righteousness, 



276 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



his sufferings our atonement; and he is a fountain 
opened for all supplies of grace, upon our union to 
him by faith. " He bore our sins in his own body on 
the tree;" 1 Pet. ii. 24. And "we are complete in 
him;" Col. ii. 10. Thus likewise, the believer's suf- 
ferings in his cause, are the sufferings of Christ; Col. 
i. 24. "In all their afflictions he is afflicted;" Isa. 
lxiii. 9. The believer's graces are the graces of 
Christ, owned by and derived from him; and " of his 
fulness they all receive, and grace for grace;" John 
i. 16. And the believer's good "conversation is in 
Christ;" 1 Pet. iii. 16. In fine, the whole interest of 
the church is the interest of Christ, and is by him 
taken care of, and provided for as his own: and the 
whole interest of Christ is the interest of the church ; 
and the believer is most nearly affected with the in- 
terest of Christ's kingdom, as what most nearly con- 
cerns him. Thus is the church united to Christ; and 
thus has he " graven her upon the palms of his hands, 
and her walls are continually before him." 

5. The union between Christ and believers is such 
as that they have thereby one common relation. He 
is the everlasting Father, their head, their husband, 
their brother, their friend, theirs by all relations of 
nearest intimacy. His Father is their Father, his 
brethren are their brethren, and his God is their God. 
" Go to my brethren, and say to them, I ascend unto 
my Father and your Father, and to my God and your 
God," John xx. 17. Thus are believers distinguish- 
ed from the rest of the world, dignified and exalted 
above all those who are esteemed great and honour- 
able among men, by their near relation to him who 
is higher than the highest, and is the Prince of the 
kings of the earth. 

6. The union between Christ and believers is such, 
that they have thereby one common inheritance. 
They being "children, are heirs, heirs of God, and 
joint-heirs with Christ," Rom. viii. 17. " And if I go, 
(says the blessed Saviour,) and prepare a place for 
you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, 
that where I am ye may be also," John xiv. 3. There 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 277 

is nothing can break the band of union between Christ 
and believers: the union will not be dissolved, but 
perfected by death. " Neither death, nor life, nor 
angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things pre- 
sent, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor 
any other creature, shall be able to separate us from 
the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord," 
Rom. viii. 38, 39. This is the hope of their calling. 
This the inheritance of the saints, that when they have 
a little longer struggled with the temptations and im- 
perfections, distresses and calamities, of this militant 
state, they shall arrive safe at the end of their desires 
and hopes, and be ever with the Lord. They shall 
be like to Christ, when they see him as he is. They 
shall dwell in his presence, and partake of the joys at 
his right hand for evermore. 

Thus I have given you a very brief and general 
view of the believer's union to Christ, according to 
the representation of it in the Scriptures, and am now 
prepared to answer your second question? 

You next inquire, " How this union is effected and 
accomplished? 

To this it is a sufficient answer, that this union is 
accomplished by the omnipotent agency of the Spirit 
of God, as the author and efficient: and by faith, as 
the bond of union. Vain, therefore, are their pre- 
tences, and they have but a delusive and destructive 
hope, who ascribe all the change in conversion, to 
mere moral suasion, or to the exercise of our own 
natural powers or endeavours only. It is beyond the 
power of men or means, to persuade a sinner into 
this strict and intimate union with Christ. It infinite- 
ly exceeds the capacity of any such sinful worms as 
we are, to make ourselves one with the Lord Jesus 
Christ, " as the Father and he are one." No ! " We 
dwell in him and he in us, because he hath given us 
of his Spirit," 1 John iv. 13. And "by one spirit we 
are all baptized into one body," 1 Cor. xii. 13. Vain 
likewise is the pretence of an eternal union to Christ, 
or of an union to him, from the time of his passion, or 
of his finishing the work of our redemption. For it 



278 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

is to them, and none but them, " who receive him and 
believe on his name, that he gives power to be- 
come the sons of God," John i. 12. And "Christ 
dwells in our hearts by faith," Eph. iii. 17. The 
blessed Spirit shining with a ray of divine light into 
the soul of a sinner, thereby discovers to him his own 
misery and impotence; and shows him the fulness and 
excellency of Christ, the freeness of the gospel-ofTer, 
the faithfulness of the promises, and the readiness of 
this precious Saviour to accept and save such guilty 
perishing sinners as he is. This divine light enkindles 
the sinner's desires after Christ, represents him wor- 
thy to be chosen and trusted; by which his will is 
brought into a hearty compliance with the gospel offer. 
Thus this admirable union is accomplished. Thus by 
the omnipotent power of divine grace, the sinner is 
drawn to Christ and made one with him, in a way 
most agreeable and delightful to himself, with the 
concurring act of his own will; and with his full and 
free consent and choice. 

I now proceed unto your third question; " Of what 
necessity or usefulness unto practical godliness, is it, 
that we should have a just acquaintance with this 
doctrine of our union to Jesus Christ?" 

In answer to this, I must observe, that I have al- 
ready somewhat anticipated this inquiry. You may 
perceive by what has been already said upon this 
subject, that it is not a point of mere unnecessary 
speculation, of no use or influence upon practical and 
vital religion. And I would now endeavour to show 
you, that this is the foundation of all practical godli- 
ness; and that it is from ignorance of, or inattention 
to this foundation of our practice and hope, that so 
many dangerous errors have obtained in the Chris- 
tian Church. This may be represented to you in the 
first place, by considering this matter with a special 
application to the subject, upon which I have lately 
written so particularly and largely to you. 

I am first then to show you, that our justification 
before God does necessarily and immediately depend 
upon our vital union to Jesus Christ. It must be con- 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 279 

fessed by all men, who know any thing of human 
nature, and have any belief of a divine revelation, 
that we have all sinned; and that we are all become 
guilty before God. And which way shall guilty sin- 
ners be reconciled to God? This, Sir, is the most im- 
portant concern in the world. Consider the question 
with an attention worthy of its infinite consequence. 
Can you quiet your conscience, with hopes of appeas- 
ing the divine justice by your reformations, good en- 
deavours, or duties? Alas! they are all so defective 
and sinful, that the iniquity of your holy things will 
greatly increase the score; and add to the weight of 
your guilt. Will you flatter your hopes, from the 
mercy and goodness of the divine nature ? But what 
claim can you have to mercy, when open to the inex- 
orable demands of justice ? Do you expect acceptance 
with God upon Christ's account? This is indeed a 
sure foundation of hope, for all who are interested in 
Christ and united to him. But what pretence can you 
make to the righteousness of Christ and the benefits 
of his redemption, if you have no interest in him; or 
in any of his saving benefits? If you have an interest 
in him, you are united to him, as I have already de- 
monstrated. If you have not an interest in him, you 
have no plea to make for justification and acceptance 
with God upon his account. Our Lord Jesus Christ 
has indeed made a sufficient atonement for sin. He 
has wrought out a perfect righteousness for sinners, 
whereby they may be acquitted from guilt, reconciled 
to God, and freely justified in his sight. But what is 
this to impenitent unbelievers, who have never been 
drawn to Christ by the powerful influences of his 
Holy Spirit, who have never received him by faith, 
so have never belonged to him; and therefore could 
never have any part in either his active or passive 
obedience. " If a man abide not in me (says our 
blessed Lord) he is cast forth as a branch and is 
withered; and men gather them, and cast them into 
the fire, and they are burned," John xv. 6. This 
therefore is a sufficient evidence of the truth of what 
I have before written to you upon the doctrine of jus- 



2S0 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

tification. We cannot be justified by works. We 
cannot be justified by a conformity to any imaginary 
law of grace without a vital union to Christ by faith. 
For " he that believeth not is condemned already," 
John iii. 18. And " he that hath not the Son of God, 
hath not life," 1 John v. 12. But then on the other 
hand, being united to his person, we are united to 
his benefits; and partake with him in all the merits 
of his obedience, in his righteousness, victories, graces, 
and inheritance. This then shows you, what neces- 
sity there is .of your acquaintance with the doctrine 
of our union to Christ. There is a necessity of it, 
that you may know what is the foundation of your 
eternal hope, how you may find acceptance with 
God, and how "you may know Christ, and the power 
of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his suffer- 
ings; and be made conformable to his death." 

Moreover, our sanctification does likewise imme- 
diately and necessarily depend upon a vital union 
unto the Lord Jesus Christ. The Scriptures do indeed 
exhort us "to be holy, as our Father which is in 
heaven is holy ;" and to that end exhort us, to " watch 
and pray," to "crucify our flesh with its affections 
and lusts," to " mortify our members which are upon 
earth;" and to " place our affections upon things that 
are above ;" and to the like exercises of religious duty. 
But they no where exhort us to attempt these in our 
own strength; or to expect a renewed nature by any 
performance of them within our power. To attempt 
our sanctification merely by our own endeavours, 
were to press oil out of a flint. For " in the Lord, shall 
men say, we have righteousness and strength; his 
grace, and that only ' is sufficient for us,' and without 
him we can do nothing." I have shown you, that all 
supplies of grace are treasured up in Christ for us; and 
that we are to receive them all out of his fulness. 
How then can we partake of them, whilst estranged 
and disunited from him? Can a branch cut off from 
the vine, bring forth fruit? " No more can we, except 
we abide in him," John xv. 4. Can the branches of 
an olive tree flourish without the root? Sure we can- 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 281 

not " bear the root; but the root must bear us;" and 
we must therefore " be grafted in, if we would par- 
take of the root and fatness of the olive tree," Rom. 
xi. 17. Can we live and act, when separated from our 
life? "Christ is our life," Col. iii. 4. And until he 
quicken us, " we are dead in trespasses and sins," 
Eph. ii. 1. In a word, our carnal minds are enmity 
to God, we are altogether as an unclean thing: And 
when love to God can be the production of enmity 
itself; and purity and holiness, of nothing but defile- 
ment and uncleanness, then, but not till then, can we 
be holy without an union to Jesus Christ. If there- 
fore, you would obtain that " holiness without which 
no man can see the Lord," you must with active dili- 
gence repair to him for it. You must by faith depend 
upon him, as the fountain of all grace. You must re- 
ceive all from him; and give him the glory of all you 
receive. 

Our communion with God does likewise wholly de- 
pend upon our union to Jesus Christ. I have already 
shown you, that all sanctifying grace is derived from 
our union to Jesus Christ; and I think, I need not 
use arguments to prove, that we cannot exercise 
grace before we have it. All quickening, comforting, 
strengthening grace must flow from the same source, 
as converting and sanctifying grace. Would you be 
humbled and abased before God, you must learn 
"of Christ to be meek and lowly of heart," Mat. vi. 29. 
Would you have your affections placed upon things 
above, you must remember, that " you are dead, and 
that your life is hid with Christ in God," Col. iii. 2, 3. 
Would you have enlargement of soul, and cheerful 
hope in God's mercy, when you approach his presence, 
" Christ in you is the hope of glory," Col. i. 27. "In 
whom you have boldness and access with confidence 
by the faith of him," Eph. iii. 12. And " be accepted 
in the beloved," Eph. i. 6. Would you enjoy the 
earnest of the future inheritance, it must be " upon 
your believing in him, that you are sealed with that 
holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of your 
inheritence," Eph. i. 13, 14. Would you have joy 

19 



282 



FAMILIAR LETTERS, 



and peace in believing, you must " rejoice in Christ 
Jesus without confidence in the flesh," Phil. iii. 3. 
Would you have the communications of the divine 
love to your soul, it must be from Christ's " loving 
you; and manifesting himself to you," John xiv. 22. 
To conclude, certain it is, that without union there 
can be no communion; and it therefore concerns you 
not only to consider, whether you are indeed united to 
Christ, and have access to God through faith in him; 
but also, whether your deadness, formality and dis- 
tractions in duty, which you so often complain of, are 
not owing to the want of a cheerful dependence upon 
Christ, as the head of influences; or else to your vain 
attempts to quicken your soul by some endeavours of 
your own, without looking to him for the incomes of 
his Spirit and grace. 

I may add once more, our perseverance in grace 
here, and our perfection of grace in glory, do neces- 
sarily depend upon our union to Christ. As we are 
accepted in the beloved, so it is by " Christ's dwell- 
ing in our hearts by faith, that we are rooted and 
grounded in love," Eph. iii. 17. " We stand by faith 
in him," Rom. xi. 20. It is because Christ " lives, 
that we live also," John xiv. 19. And if we do "live, 
it is not we, but Christ liveth in us," Gal. i. 20. We 
have no source of spiritual life, but in him. No sta- 
bility in the exercises of spiritual life, but by con- 
tinual supplies of grace from him. It is because 
" none can pluck us out of Christ's hand," that we 
shall " have eternal life; and never perish," John x. 
28. Here, and here only, is the believer's stability 
and security, he belongs to Christ, is a " member 
of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones;" and 
will the blessed Saviour* neglect his own body? Will 
he have any of his members to perish ? Is it in the 
power of hell or earth, of sin or Satan, to prevail 
against him? Or can he who is the same "yesterday, 
to-day and for ever," change the purposes of love and 
eternal kindness towards those whom he has once 
loved and united to himself? And are not all the 
promises of the believer's perseverance, yea and amen 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 283 

in Christ, with whom the believer is one mystical and 
spiritual person? Sooner shall heaven and earth pass 
away, than the blessed Redeemer shall forget or ne- 
glect the members of his body and the objects of his 
love: they were eternally chosen in him, they are his 
by covenant, they are united to him by faith, their 
interest is his, and he is gone to take possession of 
their inheritance, that where he is they may be also. 
Thus are we kept by the power of God through faith, 
unto salvation. But how could we stand one day or 
hour against the efforts of our own corruptions, the 
craft, malice, and power of Satan's temptations, and 
the snares and entanglements of a wicked world; if 
we were not founded upon this rock? 

And now, Sir, you are to judge whether there be 
not more than a doctrinal acquaintance with our 
union to Christ necessary for us, if we would either 
be justified in the sight of God; obtain that holiness 
without which no man can see the Lord, live near to 
God; or "hold the beginning of our confidence stead- 
fast to the end." 

From what has been said, you cannot but see that it 
should be your great inquiry, how this union may be 
obtained, if you have not the evidence of it, or how 
it should be evidenced to yourself, if you are in doubt 
about it. 

If you have no evidence of your union to Christ, it 
concerns you to realize your natural enmity of heart 
to God, deeply to affect your soul with a sense of the 
dreadful misery of a Christless state, and to lament 
before God the pollution of your nature, the hardness 
of your heart, the guilt of your sins, and the amazing 
destruction and perdition unto which you are there- 
by exposed. It concerns you, (as I have often ad- 
vised you,) to rely on mercy, to come to the footstool 
of sovereign grace, self-loathing and self-condemning, 
pleading with importunate ardour, for the powerful 
influences of the blessed Spirit to draw and unite you 
to Christ. It concerns you, to be careful and diligent 
in your attendance upon all the duties of religious 
worship; and to be "steadfast and immoveable, al- 



284 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

ways abounding in the work of the Lord, if you would 
not have your labour in vain in the Lord." It con- 
cerns you, though watchful, active, and diligent, yet 
utterly to despair of all help in yourself, and to main- 
tain a lively impression, that all the progress of spi- 
ritual life must flow from your union to Jesus Christ; 
and that you must therefore rely upon him only, to 
do all in you and for you. It likewise concerns you, 
to look unto Jesus Christ, not only as a sufficient but 
a compassionate Saviour, willing to receive you to 
mercy in your present state, how bad soever; and 
therefore to endeavour a cheerful and immediate 
compliance with the gospel offer, without waiting for 
moral qualifications to recommend you to the Re- 
deemer's acceptance; and let Christ Jesus be your 
steady hope and confidence, whatever darkness, dif- 
ficulties, trials, or temptations, you may meet withal 
in your way. 

If you are in doubt about your state, and in an un- 
comfortable suspense whether you are united to Christ 
or not, do not rest satisfied in such a case, wherein 
your eternal all is at stake, and in precarious uncer- 
tainty. But labour to resolve your doubts, by the 
lively exercise of faith; and by a humble, cheerful 
confidence and delight in the blessed Saviour. Then 
may you know that "he dwells in your heart by 
faith," when you are "rooted and grounded in love;" 
Eph. iii. 17. Labour to evidence your union to 
Christ, by having your "heart purified by faith;" 
and your affections spiritual and heavenly. Then 
may you know that " you are risen with Christ, 
when you seek those things which are above, where 
Christ sitteth at the right hand of God;" and when 
you "place your affections on things above, and not 
on things on the earth;" Col. iii. 1, 2. Labour to 
clear up this doubt, by the exercise of all the several 
graces of the Spirit of life. If you live in the exer- 
cise of faith, repentance, love to God, humility, hope 
in Christ, desire after, and delight in him; if you 
bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, which are love, 
joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 285 

meekness, temperance, "hereby may you know that 
he abideth in you, by the Spirit which he hath given 
you;" 1 John hi. 24. Labour likewise to clear up 
this difficulty, not only by the life, but by the growth 
of grace. If you grow more humble, self-abasing, 
and self-condemning: if you grow more penitent, 
and more passionately groan under the burden of, 
and mourn after deliverance from all our sins: if 
your love to God increases, and you take more de- 
light in him and in his ways; or at least long after a 
life of nearer communion with him, with more ardent 
desire: if you are more spiritual in your thoughts, 
meditations, and affections; more heavenly in your 
conversation; and more careful of your respective 
duties both to God and man; then may you know that 
" Christ abideth in you and you in him; in that you 
bring forth much fruit;" John xv. 5. 

If you get satisfying evidences of your union to 
Christ, adore, admire, and praise the infinite conde- 
scension, and the astonishing love of the glorious Re- 
deemer, in taking such dust and ashes, such sin and 
pollution, into union with himself. Contemplate the 
amazing transaction of love with admiration; and let 
" the love of Christ constrain you, to live to the praise 
of the glory of that grace, by which you become ac- 
cepted in the Beloved." 

That Christ may abide in you and you in him, that 
you may win Christ, and be found in him at his ap- 
pearance and kingdom, and that you may reign with 
him for ever, is the prayer of, 

Sir, 

Yours, &c, 



» 



286 FAMILIAR LETTERS 



LETTER XVII. 

ANTINOMIAN ABUSES OF THE DOCTRINE OF BELIEVERS' UNION 
TO CHRIST, OR PLEAS FROM IT FOR LICENTIOUSNESS AND 
SECURITY IN SINNING, CONSIDERED AND OBVIATED. 

Sir, — Allow me the freedom to tell yon, that the 
consequences you draw from the doctrine of our union 
to Christ, as I have represented it, are without any 
foundation; and that a just view of the case must con- 
vince you, that this doctrine gives no " advantage to 
licentious and latitudinarian principles," but the direct 
contrary. I shall therefore endeavour, according to 
your desire, to consider the Antinomian principles 
you are pleased to propose, and see whether they 
" naturally follow from what I taught in my last." 

" You do not see (you tell me) if the principles I 
teach are allowed, how the Antinomians can be 
charged with error, in supposing that the true be- 
liever has no cause to repent of his sins, or to enter- 
tain any disquietude of mind with respect to them, 
since he is united to Christ, and all his sins are charged 
to Christ's account, whereby he has satisfied for them 
all. Why therefore should the believer be concerned 
about a debt, which is fully discharged ? Justice is 
satisfied with respect to him; Christ delights in him, 
as a member of his own body; the Spirit of God 
dwells in him, notwithstanding of his sins and imper- 
fections. Why may he not therefore be perfectly easy 
with respect to sin; and look upon it (as a modern An- 
tinomian expresses himself) unworthy of our least re- 
gards?" To this I answer, 

1. That no man who is practically conformed to 
this Antinomian principle, can know himself to be a 
believer; and therefore there can be no foundation 
for this reasoning, in any person whatsoever. Were 
your arguing allowed to be just, it can take place 
with none but those who have infallible evidence of 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 287 

their union to Christ; which is impossible any man 
should have, who is not burthened with his sins, who 
does not hate them, and groan after deliverance from 
them. Repentance is the genuine and necessary fruit 
of a true faith. " They shall look upon Me whom 
they have pierced, and shall mourn," Zech. xii. 10. 
" That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, 
and never open thy mouth any more, because of thy 
shame, when I am pacified towards thee for all that 
thou hast done, saith the Lord God," Ezek. xvi. 63. 
P And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. 
Then shall ye remember your own evil ways and 
your doings that are not good; and shall loathe your- 
selves in your own sight, for your iniquities and for 
your abominations," Ezek. xxxvi. 28. 31. It is the true 
believer, and he only, that is capable aright to mourn 
for sin, truly to hate it, and to groan under the bur- 
den of it. Unbelievers may mourn under a sense of 
their guilt and danger; but this is not to repent of 
sin. It is the believer only, who sorrows for sin, as 
sin; who hates all sin; who groans, being burdened, 
from a sense of his sinfulness; and who cries out 
with the apostle, " wretched man that I am, who 
shall deliver me from the body of this death!" What 
room can there be for those licentious conclusions you 
speak of? .Who is the person that can thus rock his 
conscience to sleep, under the prevalence of his lusts, 
from the doctrine of our union to Christ, as I have 
described it? Must it be supposed to be one who is 
united to Christ; or one who is not united to Christ ? 
Surely not the former; for how can he be indolent, 
careless, and secure in the commission of sin, from 
the doctrine of our union to Christ, who has no evi- 
dence of this being his case; nor can have any such 
evidence, until he is poor in spirit, and thereby quali- 
fied for the kingdom of heaven, Matt. v. 3. Until he 
is one that mourns for his sins, and comes under the 
promise of comfort; v. 4. And until he is of a con- 
trite and humble spirit; for with such, and only with 
such, has the high and lofty One who inhabits eterni- 
ty, promised to dwell? Isa. lvii. 15. And I think, I 



288 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

need not endeavour to prove, that he who is not uni- 
ted to Christ, has no shadow of a plea or pretence 
to make for carelessness and security in sin, from the 
doctrine before us. Whence it follows, that all pre- 
tences of this kind are without any rational founda- 
tion. They only proceed from men's delight in sin, 
in a life of sensual ease and carnal security: and not 
at all from the precious truth before us. This sacred 
truth may indeed be perverted and abused; and so 
may all the other doctrines of the gospel. 2 Pet. iii. 
16. But they who thus turn the grace of God into 
wantonness, do it at the peril of their souls; and will 
find but little comfort in it, when they come to make 
up their accounts. Whatever extravagant pretences 
men's licentious dispositions may prompt them to, they 
must in the conclusion find it true, that a life of con- 
tinued repentance of sin, a life of continued self-abase- 
ment and self-judging, and a life of repeated and 
renewed mourning after pardon of, and victory over 
our remaining corruptions, is a necessary fruit and 
evidence of our union to Christ; and belongs to the 
way which leadeth to life eternal, and in which the 
saints walk to heaven. If therefore we would not 
too late be found with a lie in our right hand, we 
must, with Daniel, pray to the Lord, and make our 
confession. Dan. ix. 4. We must, with the church, 
acknowledge ourselves as an unclean thing. Isa. lxiv. 
6. We must, with Job, even abhor ourselves, and 
repent in dust and ashes. Job. xlii. 6. We must, 
with Ephraim, bemoan ourselves. Jer. xxxi. 18. And 
with David, have our hearts fail us, on account of the 
number and aggravations of our sins. Psal. xl. 12. 
For these are the characters, these the dispositions of 
those, who are indeed united to Christ. 

2. There is greater guilt in the sins of believers than 
in the sins of others. They have therefore greater 
cause to be humbled for them, and to lament them 
before God. They are indeed united to Christ, re- 
conciled to God, freed from all condemnation, and 
made heirs according to the hope of eternal life: the 
satisfying evidences of which blessed state must carry 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



289 



them above any tormenting fears of hell and eternal 
perdition; and deliver them from that legal repent- 
ance, which is the product of desponding thoughts, 
and a fear of amazement. But is there no other 
motive to repentance but slavish fears of hell ? Does 
not a true repentance and a genuine sorrow for sin, 
always flow from an affecting sense of the contrariety 
of sin to the nature and will of God; from a sense of 
the ingratitude there is in sin, to a bountiful Bene- 
factor and a compassionate Saviour; and from a sense 
of the dishonour to God's name, the violation of his 
law, the abuse of his mercy and love, the affront and 
provocation to his Holy Spirit, the distance procured 
between God and us, and the prejudice to others, as 
well as to our own souls, occasioned by our sinning 
against God. Now, in all these respects, the sins of 
believers are more aggravated than the sins of other 
men. They are distinguished from the most of the 
world, by renewing and saving grace: and must it 
uot cut them to the heart, to think of their vile ingra- 
titude to such an infinitely kind and beneficent friend; 
and of their horrid abuse of such unmerited mercy 
and love ! They are united to Christ, washed in his 
precious blood, and justified by his righteousness; and 
can they be content to load him with indignities, who 
has not thought his own blood too dear a ransom for 
their souls; and who has by the power of his grace 
plucked them out of the guilt and danger of a perish- 
ing world, and made them heirs of the eternal inheri- 
tance! They have felt the divine influences and con- 
solations of the blessed Spirit; and have tasted that 
the Lord is gracious: and shall they by their sins 
grieve the Spirit of God, provoke him to withdraw, 
and to withhold his quickening and comforting in- 
fluences from them! They are the friends and chil- 
dren of God, the sworn subjects of the eternal Ma- 
jesty; yea, even the spouse of Jesus Christ. And 
shall such make little account of sin! Is this thy kind- 
ness to thy Friend ! Is it a light thing for a child to 
rebel against his compassionate Father; for a subject 
to take up arms against his Prince; or for a wife to 



290 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

violate her marriage vows? Certainly the sins of 
believers are aggravated in proportion to the various 
obligations they are under: and though they have no 
cause of desponding and discouraging fears, they have 
the greatest cause to groan under the burden of their 
sins, and to groan after deliverance from them. Their 
union to Christ is so far from extenuating their sins, 
that it renders them more heinous in the sight of 
God; and is the strongest reason why they should 
watch against them, lament and hate them. For this 
reason, God may justly expostulate with them upon 
their sinning against him, as in Deut. xxxii. 6. " Do 
ye thus repulse the Lord, foolish people and un- 
wise! Is not he thy Father, that hath bought thee? 
Hath he not made thee, and established thee?" 

3. It is true of believers, as well as of others, that 
except they repent they shall surely perish. They are 
indeed safe in the hands of Christ: and none shall 
pluck them out of his hands: he will preserve them 
to his heavenly kingdom. But then he will save them 
in his own way, in the way of a repeated, renewed 
exercise of repentance, as well as faith, and in no 
other way. If any are not in that way, they are not 
in Christ's way: and have therefore reason to suspect 
their union to Christ, and to conclude, that they are 
not in the path of life. Their eternal interest does 
therefore loudly call upon them, to mourn for their 
sins, to hate and forsake them, lest they perish eter- 
nally. True believers will not indeed finally perish, 
for whom God justifies, he will also glorify. But then 
the believer's perseverance is subserved by a fear of 
caution; nor are there any true believers, but penitent 
believers: and therefore, whoever are habitually care- 
less in their walk, and impenitent for their sins, will 
fall short of salvation, whatever pretences to faith in 
Christ they may make. There is but one way to 
heaven; and whoever gets there, must attain the glo- 
rious salvation, by obtaining assistance, from the 
powerful influences of divine grace, to keep that way. 
They must be enabled to go weeping and mourning, 
with their faces towards Zion. They must offer to 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 291 

God " the sacrifice of a humble and contrite spirit." 
They must " loathe themselves in their own sight, for 
their iniquities and abominations." Every other road 
but this, leads down to the chambers of death. Be- 
lievers, therefore, as well as others, have cause to 
"pass the time of their sojourning here in fear." 
They have not cause indeed (as is before observed) 
of a legal and slavish fear: but they have cause of a 
jealousy of themselves, lest they miss their way and 
fall short of their hope. They have cause to " watch 
and pray, that they enter not into temptation." Mat. 
xxvi. 41. They have cause "to keep under their 
body, and bring it into subjection, lest by any means 
they should be cast away," 1 Cor. ix. 37. And to 
"judge themselves, that so they may not be con- 
demned with the world," 1 Cor. xi. 31, 32. They 
have cause to "follow peace with all men and holiness, 
without which no man shall see the Lord," Heb. xii. 
14. They have cause to "repent and turn themselves 
from all their transgressions, that their iniquity do not 
prove their ruin," Ezek. xviii. 30. Believers them- 
selves would "fall into condemnation, and their ini- 
quities be their ruin," should they live careless, sin- 
ful, impenitent lives. There is no salvation promised, 
there is no salvation possible, to any who live such 
lives. They who are kept by the power of God, are 
kept through faith (an operative faith, which is ac- 
companied with all the graces of the blessed Spirit) 
unto the salvation which shall be revealed in the last 
time, 1 Pet. i. 5. The doctrine of our union to Christ 
does therefore allow no plea for licentiousness, since 
Christ is a Prince, as well as a Saviour, to all who 
are in him, to give them repentance, as well as for- 
giveness of sins, Acts v. 31. And they who do not 
live in the exercise of repentance, whatever pretences 
they may make unto an union to Christ by faith, 
have not the faith of God's elect, are none of his; 
nor are they likely ever to partake of his salvation. 
It therefore concerns such " filthy dreamers," to 
awake and consider their danger, " who are at ease 
in Zion, who flatter themselves in their own eyes: 



292 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



for their iniquities must (first or last) be found hate- 
ful." 

You go on to argue; " It appears a contradiction 
to teach, that the believer is perfectly righteous in 
the sight of God, by virtue of his union to Christ, and 
by the imputation of his righteousness; and yet that 
he is sinful and polluted in God's sight, at the same 
time. If he be united to Christ, and interested in his 
righteousness, he is perfectly righteous: And if he 
be perfectly righteous, he cannot be sinful; and there- 
fore cannot have cause to repent of his sins, to grieve 
for them, or seek pardon of them." In answer to 
this, I would entreat you to consider, 

1. That this is to blend together justification and 
sanctification, as if they were the same thing. There 
is not the least shadow of a consequence, that be- 
cause believers are interested in a perfect righteous- 
ness, and are thereby perfectly justified in the sight 
of God, therefore their sanctification is complete, and 
they perfectly holy. God may " blot out our trans- 
gressions as a cloud, and cast our iniquities into the 
depths of the sea," by a gracious pardon, when yet 
we have cause to acknowledge ourselves " altogether 
as an unclean thing, and that if he should mark ini- 
quity, we could not stand;" that " if he should con- 
tend with us, we could not answer him one of a 
thousand." And is that an argument why we should 
be bold and careless in sinning, because God has been 
infinitely gracious in pardoning our sins? Is it an ar- 
gument why we should securely and ungratefully 
abuse our heavenly Father, because he has laid us 
under the strongest obligations to love and serve 
him? But it seems to be the drift of those whom you 
would personate in this argument, that the believ- 
er's violation of the law of God is no sin, that their 
not being under the law, but under grace, makes 
it no ways criminal in them to transgress the law ; 
and their being united to Christ legalizes even the 
grossest transgressions both of the law and gospel. 
If this be intended, I must observe to you, that in 
order to a just deducing of this conclusion, it must be 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 293 

supposed, that the law of God is wholly vacated, and 
ceases to be a rule of life; though the apostle assures 
us, that " the law is not made void by faith, but es- 
tablished." Rom. iii. 31. It must also be supposed, 
that holiness of life is not required by the gospel of 
Christ; though the whole design of the gospel is to. 
promote holiness; and we are expressly told, that 
u the grace of God which brings salvation, teaches 
us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we 
should live soberly, righteously and godly in this pre- 
sent world." Tit. ii. 11, 12. And it must even be 
supposed, that the nature of the glorious God himself 
must be changed; that he can look upon sin with ap- 
probation; and be pleased with what is most oppo- 
site to his own purity and .rectitude. It must be sup- 
posed that David's murder and adultery, that Peter's 
denying his Lord, with cursing and swearing, &c. 
were acceptable to God. What blasphemy, what 
subversion of the very light and law of nature, are 
contained in such principles as these! — But you will 
say, perhaps, that it does not obviate the difficulty, 
to show the inconsistency and incongruity of these 
principles, while the question yet remains, whether 
they do not (how wicked soever) necessarily follow 
from my doctrine of our union to Christ. To which 
it is sufficient to answer, that by virtue of a believer's 
union to Christ, his righteousness is imputed, to an- 
swer the demands of the justice and law of God; 
and thereby to reconcile the believer to God: but not 
to legalize his sinful actions. It is to procure him 
a pardon for past sins ; and not a license for future 
transgressions. It is to free him from the guilt and 
condemning power of sin; but not to change the na- 
ture, and destroy the inseparable essential desert of 
sin. It is true, that the believer is hereby interested 
in God's covenant mercy and love; and therefore se- 
cure of a gradual sanctification, whereof his repent- 
ance, hatred of, and sorrow for sin, is a peculiar and 
principal part. Whence it follows, that we must 
mourn for our sins, repent of, and hate them, in or- 



294 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

der to evidence our union to Christ, and interest in 
him; and not live contentedly in sin, from a vain 
dream of our union to him. There can be no such 
thing in nature, as an impenitent true believer; and 
therefore all conclusions of this kind are groundless 
and impious. 

2. It is a fact most notorious, and admits of no dis- 
pute, that believers have not a perfect personal and 
inherent righteousness in the sight of God; and there- 
fore the doctrine under consideration affords no han- 
dle for such licentious pleas, as you have suggested. 
Christ's righteousness imputed to us, it is true, is per- 
fect; and therefore our justification is perfect too by 
virtue of our interest in it, so that on that account we 
have no cause of any disquietude and uneasiness. 
But what is our own personal righteousness? It is 
filthy rags, Isa. lxiv. 6. It is loss and dung, Phil. iii. 8. 
And if we say, we have no sin, we deceive ourselves; 
and the truth is not in us, 1 John i. 8. Have we no 
cause therefore to lament the imperfection of our own 
righteousness, because Christ's righteousness is per- 
fect? Have we no cause to lament the great defects 
of our sanctification, because our justification is per- 
fect? Have we no matter of uneasiness on account 
of our non-conformity to the holiness of God, because 
his vindictive justice is satisfied? Have we no occa- 
sion to lament, that we are no more prepared and 
ripened for heaven, because we hope to escape hell? 
Have we no reason to lament the dishonour we do 
to God, because he has in infinite mercy been pleased 
to pardon our sins, and make us heirs of glory? And 
in fine, have we no sins to repent of, when " in many 
things we all offend," and when our offences are pe- 
culiarly aggravated, by our distinguishing privileges 
and obligations? I speak these things upon the sup- 
position that we have an assurance of a justified 
state; which (as I have before proved) no man ever 
had, or can have, while he makes light of sinning. It 
is little likely, that they are true believers who believe 
in Christ for a pardon only; or that they are true 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 295 

penitents, whose only motive is the penalty, and not 
the turpitude of sin, which should make us loathe it, 
and ourselves for it, though conscious of a pardon. 

You further observe, that " the Antinomians argue 
from the doctrine of our union to Christ, as I have 
proposed it, that the sins of believers do really belong 
to Christ, as the sins of the hand really belong to the 
head, unto which those hands are united. Accord- 
ingly he actually bare our sins, suffered for us, and 
God laid upon him the iniquities of us all. The sins 
that the believer commits, do therefore truly belong 
to Christ; and not to the believer himself. They are 
his sins, not ours. They are already accounted for 
by him; and consequently are not now to be repented 
of by us. You suspect, you say, that there are too 
many among us, which quiet themselves with such 
dangerous pretences, while going on in sinful prac- 
tices; that these seem to found their erroneous prin- 
ciples upon the doctrine taught in my last: And you 
desire me to consider, whether they do not naturally 
flow from it." 

There needs no other answer to this, than to show 
you, that our sins are to be considered in a threefold 
respect. They are to be considered with respect to 
their pollution, or contrariety to the holiness of God; 
with respect to their innate guilt, or contrariety to the 
preceptive will of God; and with respect to their de- 
sert, or relation to the penalty denounced against 
them by the justice and law of God. It is in the latter 
sense only, that our blessed Saviour bare our sins, and 
was made sin for us; and that our sins are by virtue 
of our union to Christ imputed to him, and esteemed 
as his. If this be distinctly considered, the case will 
appear most plain and evident. 

If we consider sin with respect to its blot or pollu- 
tion, it is the abominable thing which God's soul 
hates. It is what he "is of purer eyes than to be- 
hold;" and what he cannot look on but with abhor- 
rence and detestation. Now it were the greatest 
blasphemy to suppose that the Lord Jesus Christ did 
in this sense take our sins upon him, so as to be pol- 



296 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

luted and defiled with them. He was " holy, harm- 
less, undefiled; (and in this respect,) separate from 
sinners." He was "a Lamb without spot and with- 
out blemish." He was God's " beloved Son, in whom 
he was well pleased." In this sense then, sin belongs 
even to the believer himself, notwithstanding his 
union to Christ. The pollution of his sin was never 
transferred to Christ. But every sin he commits, pol- 
lutes and defiles his soul, gives him new cause of hu- 
miliation and repentance, new cause to fly by faith 
to the blood of Christ for cleansing; and to the grace 
of Christ for the sanctifying, renewing influences of 
his Holy Spirit. Hence we find David complaining, 
that " his wounds stink and corrupt, because of his 
foolishness; that his loins are filled with a loathsome 
disease; and there is no soundness in his flesh;" 
Psalm xxxviii. 5. 7. And hence we likewise find 
him so humbly and earnestly praying, that he may 
be "purged with hyssop and made clean, washed and 
made whiter than the snow;" Psalm li. 7. It is not 
the privilege of believers, that their sins have less pol- 
lution in them than the sins of others; or that they 
are less displeasing to God: but their privilege is, 
that they being united to Christ, they have grace 
given them to apply for cleansing to the fountain set 
open for sin and uncleanness; and that they have an 
advocate with the Father, to make intercession for 
them. It is therefore certain, that all such who do 
not improve this privilege, who do not repair to the 
blood of Christ for cleansing, but remain careless and 
secure in their sins, were never yet united to Christ, 
never cleansed from their filthiness; but are, notwith- 
standing all their vain dreams of an union to Christ, 
liable to meet with that final sentence, " He which is 
filthy, let him be filthy still." 

If we consider sin with respect to its innate guilt, 
or contrariety to the law of God, the sins of believers, 
as well as others, are a transgression of God's law, a 
contempt of his dominion and authority, a repug- 
nancy to his nature and will, a dishonour to his name, 
and an injury to his kingdom and interest in the world; 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 297 

in all which respects, they bring guilt upon the souls 
of the offenders, in proportion to the nature and ag- 
gravations of the transgressions. Now I hope, none 
will be so daringly blasphemous, as to suppose that 
our sins are in this respect transferred to Christ; that 
the blessed Saviour of the world has transgressed the 
law of God, or dishonoured his holy name. " For he 
did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. He 
always did those things which pleased his heavenly 
Father." There is no possibility, from the nature of 
things, that the innate guilt of sin, or the reatus culpse, 
(as the schools express it,) can be transferred from 
one person to another. Whoever represents the per- 
son of the offender, and is his surety, bears the pun- 
ishment he deserved; yet the original guilt, the ob- 
liquity, the enormity, fault or crime of the offence, 
lies at the offender's door; and can lie no where else. 
Whence it follows, that the believer's union to Christ 
can no way change the nature of his sinful actions, 
and make that guiltless and innocent, whilst repug- 
nant to the nature and law of God. Though it de- 
liver from the penalty, it cannot remove the native 
enormity of sin: it still remains, and cannot but re- 
main abominable to God, and worthy of eternal death. 
Whence God is displeased with believers, when they 
sin against him. "The thing David had done dis- 
pleased the Lord;" 1 Sam. xi. 27. " The Lord was 
angry with Moses;" Deut. iv. 21. " He was very 
angry with Aaron;" Deut. ix. 20. Though he be a 
Father, he is a provoked Father, when his children 
"forsake his law, and walk not in his judgments;" 
and therefore he " visits their transgression with the 
rod, and their iniquity with stripes;" though "he 
does not utterly take away his loving kindness from 
them, nor suffer his faithfulness to fail ;" Psalm lxxxix. 
30, 31, 32. Have not believers therefore cause to be 
deeply affected with their sins, to lament them before 
God, and penitently to fly to the blood of Christ for 
pardon, when they render them guilty in the sight of 
God, are provoking and displeasing to him, and just- 
ly deserve his eternal wrath? 

20 



298 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



But if we proceed in the last place, to consider sin 
with respect to its law desert, or demerit with regard 
to the penalty annexed to it, by the justice and law 
of God, in this sense Christ bare our sins, for us; and 
took upon him all the iniquities of those, who are in- 
terested in and united to him. " He bare our sins in 
his own body upon the tree:" that is, he bare the 
punishment due to us for sin, when he offered him- 
self a sacrifice upon the cross. " He was made a curse 
for us;" and underwent the curse that was due to us. 
He was made a surety of the better Testament; and 
so the dreadful debt was transferred, from the princi- 
pal debtors, to him; and he being a surety for stran- 
gers, was made to smart for it. Thus believers par- 
take of the blessedness ascribed to him, " whose trans- 
gression is forgiven, whose sin is covered; and unto 
whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity." And "there 
is now no condemnation to them who are in Christ 
Jesus." They are acquitted from the guilt of all their 
former sins, upon their exercising faith in Christ. 
" Through faith in his blood, Christ's righteousness is 
declared for the remission of their sins that are 
past." Rom. iii. 25. But how will their state of 
justification be continued, and their sins past pardon- 
ed, but in the way of renewed exercise of faith to- 
wards our Lord Jesus Christ, and repentance towards 
God? How will they make any progress in the divine 
life, but by a renewed flight to the fountain of grace, 
for new supplies of spiritual life and strength? From 
whence then can any man fetch arguments, for a 
careless indifference about his sins, unless he be also 
careless and indifferent about the favour of God, 
and his own eternal welfare? " Let no man deceive 
himself with vain words;" nor dream of " any inheri- 
tance in the kingdom of Christ and of God," while he 
can sin without care or fear. For, because of these 
things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of 
disobedience. Eph. v. 5, 6. 

You go on to argue, " If believers are united to 
Christ, in the manner described, so that his obedience 
to the law was performed on their behalf, and is be- 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 299 

come their obedience, it then follows, that they have 
in Christ fulfilled the law in all respects; and it can 
therefore have no more demands upon them; and con- 
sequently they can be no more chargeable with sin; 
nor have occasion to be concerned about it. For 
" where there is no law, there is no transgression." 

In answer to this objection, I shall first endeavour 
to show you, in what respects our blessed Saviour has 
in our place and stead answered the demands of the 
law, and thereby delivered the believer from its power 
and dominion: and then proceed to show, in what 
respects the law has still a claim, to the believer's ob- 
servance, notwithstanding his interest in, and union 
to the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Our blessed Redeemer has these several ways ful- 
filled the law for believers: he has fulfilled all the 
penal demands of it; and hath "redeemed us from 
the curse of the law, being made a curse for us;" 
Gal. hi. 13. We being guilty criminals, the law con- 
demns us to deserved punishment; and the justice of 
God demands satisfaction. The blessed Saviour has 
therefore stepped in between us and the avenging jus- 
tice of God; and has received the flaming sword into 
his own bowels. Justice is satisfied, and the guilty 
offender released, upon his acting faith in this bless- 
ed surety. The law does moreover require of us a 
perfect, active obedience, as we are rational and mo- 
ral agents; and accordingly the original terms of our 
acceptance with God were, " Do this and live." " The 
man which doth these things shall live by them. But 
cursed is every one that continueth not in all things 
of the law to do them." Now Christ has in this re- 
spect, also answered the demands of the law. He 
has "fulfilled all righteousness;" and taken away 
the power of the law, as it is the "strength of sin," 
as it is a " killing letter," and " ministration of death," 
on the behalf of all that believe in him; that it no 
longer demands perfect personal obedience as the 
condition of their acceptance with God. In this res- 
pect believers are " not under the law, but under 
grace;" Rom. vi. 14. Thus Christ has performed a 



300 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



passive obedience, to answer the penalty of the law, 
and an active obedience, to fulfil the precept of it, 
whereby justice is satisfied, God reconciled, and the 
believer made accepted in the beloved. I may add 
to this, that there is an infinite merit in this twofold 
obedience of our blessed Mediator. He being an in- 
finite person, the value of his obedience was propor- 
tioned to the glory and dignity of his Divine nature; 
and he has, therefore, by his fulfilling the law, pur- 
chased all grace here and glory hereafter, for all who 
shall believe in him, and be thereby united to him. 
Thus then, the believer's " first husband is dead; that 
they are loosed from the law of their husband: and 
they are become dead to the law by the body of 
Christ, that they may be married to another, even to 
him who is raised from the dead;" as the apostle ar- 
gues, Rom. vii. 2. 4. 

And now in order to answer the second part of my 
promise, and show you in what respect the law has 
still a claim to the believer's observance, I must re- 
mind you of what I have formerly observed to you, 
that the moral law is also to be considered as a rule 
of living, as the standard or directory of our conduct. 
As such, it is a copy or transcript of the divine per- 
fections, in particular of his rectitude, justice, and ho- 
liness; and therefore is immutable, like the infinitely 
glorious nature from whence it was derived. It is 
utterly inconsistent with the infinite perfections of the 
glorious God, for him to give us a rule of life contrary 
to what is contained in the moral law. Should the 
law in this sense be abrogated and buried, the holiness 
and justice of God must be buried in the ruins of it. 
Now though our blessed Saviour has in this sense 
also fulfilled the law, he has fulfilled it to establish it, 
and not to vacate or destroy it. He has fulfilled it as 
our exemplar, to give us a pattern of obedience, that 
we may walk in his steps. He hath fulfilled it to 
glorify his heavenly Father, that in imitation of him 
we also may glorify him, by bringing forth much 
fruit. In this respect then, the law retains its full de- 
mand upon us. * Do we then make void the law by 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 301 

faith? God forbid! Yea, we establish the law;" Rom. 
iii. 31. With respect to the law, as a rule of life, our 
blessed Saviour assures us, that it is easier for hea- 
ven and earth to pass away, than one tittle of the law 
to fail;" Luke xvi. 17. How vile and abominable 
therefore are those pretences, that there remains no 
law to regulate our conduct; that we are under no 
bonds to obedience; that we have no law to trans- 
gress; and therefore no sins to lament! Has the bless- 
ed Saviour shed his precious blood to open a door to 
licentiousness? Has he come to legalize a lawless, 
careless, worldly, and sensual life? No surely, he 
came with a quite contrary view; " to redeem us from 
all iniquity, and to purify unto himself a peculiar peo- 
ple, zealous of good works;" Tit. ii. 14. The law 
must certainly be either the rule of our conduct, while 
we live, or the rule of our final trial and condemna- 
tion, in the day of Christ. Though our conformity 
to the law, as a rule of life, be neither an atonement 
for our sins, nor a purchase of the divine favour, nor 
the covenant condition of our pardon and acceptance 
with God; yet it is in the nature of things, and in the 
doctrine of the gospel, the believer's path-way to eter- 
nal life. " He that saith, I know him, and keepeth 
not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not 
in him;" 1 John ii. 4. " He that saith, he abideth in 
him, ought himself also so to walk, even as he walk- 
ed;" 1 John ii. 6. " Whosoever committeth sin, trans- 
gresseth also the law;" 1 John iii. 4. "For this is 
the love of God, that we keep his commandments;" 
1 John v. 3. " If ye fulfil the royal law according to 
the Scripture, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy- 
self/ ye do well;" James ii. 8. 

And now, Sir, it belongs to you lo consider, whe- 
ther the Antinomians have any handle at all for 
their licentious principles, from the doctrine of our 
union to Christ, rightly considered and understood. 
If no man can have any good evidence of his union 
to Christ, without a repentance and humiliation for 
his offences against God, then no man can have rea- 
son to be easy and secure in sinning, from a pre- 



302 



FAMILIAR LETTERS, 



sumption of his union to Christ. If the sins of be- 
lievers are by virtue of their union to Christ more 
aggravated, than the sins of other men, they have 
more cause than others to lament their sins before 
God, and to be deeply humbled on the account of 
them. If believers, as well as others, must repent 
of their sins, or perish, they have then the same 
cause, which others have to mourn for their sins, and 
with the greatest detestation to renounce and for- 
sake them. If believers, by means of their union 
to Christ, though perfectly justified, are yet not per- 
fectly sanctified, but in many things do all offend; if 
Christ has not taken away the pollution of sin, and 
personal innate guilt, though he has borne the curse, 
and taken away the penalty of sin from believers; if 
the law still remains a rule of obedience to believers; 
and if their deviation from, or violation of that rule, 
be of the nature of sin, and brings them under guilt 
and defilement, they have then cause to be humbled 
for their sins, to groan under the burthen of them, 
and ardently to pant after deliverance from their re- 
maining body of death. All the premises are (I 
think) fully proved; and the consequences cannot 
therefore be fairly denied. Whence it follows, that 
whoever quiet their conscience with such vain pre- 
tences, expose themselves to the dreadful consequen- 
ces of a licentious life, divine rejection, and a wrath 
unto the uttermost. 

Thus I have briefly answered your several pleas 
in favour of the libertines of the present age, by rea- 
sonings, which cannot fail of giving you satisfaction, 
if duly considered. You will be pleased to bear 
with me, whilst I offer one answer more, which will 
equally obviate all your objections; and discover 
them all to be groundless, unreasonable and irreligi- 
ous. 

You will readily allow, if it be impossible from the 
nature of things, that any one who is truly united to 
Jesus Christ, should be habitually careless and at 
ease, indifferent and indolent in a way of sinning, 
that your objections are then all groundless, and with- 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 303 

out any rational foundation. And that this is so, may- 
be made abundantly clear and evident. 

If a true and sincere love to God, be a necessary 
consequence of our union to Jesus Christ, and be also 
utterly inconsistent with those licentious conclusions, 
which you have mentioned; it will then follow that 
it is impossible from the nature of things, that any 
one who is truly united to Jesus Christ, should be 
careless, easy, and indifferent in a way of sinning. 
That all who are united to Jesus Christ, do habitu- 
ally love God, and dwell in the love of God, is ex- 
pressly asserted by the apostle, 1 John iv. 16. " God 
is love; and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in 
God, and God in him." And it is also necessary 
from the very nature of our union to Christ. Being 
united to Christ, we shall partake of all the graces 
of the blessed Spirit, which are in Christ, as in a 
fountain or repository to be communicated unto us; 
as I have shown you before, that this need not be 
insisted on. 

Let us therefore proceed to consider, whether the 
love of God be, from the nature of it, compatible or 
consistent with a carelessness and indifference about 
sinning against him. Can we love God, and be 
careless and indifferent about affronting him, and 
loading him with indignity, at the same time? Can 
we love God, and yet be content to dishonour his 
name, violate his laws, and trample his sacred au- 
thority and attributes under the feet of our lusts ? 
This cannot be, till love and hatred, friendship and 
enmity, become the same thing, and not to be dis- 
tinguished. Our profession of love would hardly be 
voted sincere by one of our fellow creatures, who 
should find us easy and indifferent about injuring his 
interest and reputation, and loading him with con- 
tempt and indignity. Does not the love of God es- 
pecially consist in a desire of, and delight in a con- 
formity to the divine nature and will? That they 
who love God, dwell in God and God in them; that 
as he is, so are they in this world, 1 John iv. 16, 17. 
And can they delight in a conformity to God, and 



304 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

yet be easy and content when they act most contrary 
to his will, and in the highest repugnance to all his 
glorious and infinite perfections? Does not the love 
of God consist in a hatred of sin, and of whatever is 
displeasing in his sight ? " Ye that love the Lord hate 
evil," Psal. xcvii. 10. And can there be any thing 
more inconsistent, than being careless and indifferent 
about falling into such circumstances as are peculi- 
arly hateful and abhorrent to us? Does not the love 
of God imply a love to his law; and a delight in 
complying with his holy will in all things? "0 how 
love I thy law ! it is my meditation all the day," Psal. 
cxix. 97. " For I delight in the law of God after the 
inward man," Rom. vii. 22. And is it consistent, is it 
not the highest contradiction, to love the law of God, 
to delight in an observance of it, and a conformity 
to it, and yet be indifferent and unconcerned about a 
violation of it, or a non-conformity to it? Does not 
the love of God, in the nature of it, imply a life of 
actual obedience? "If ye love me, keep my com- 
mandments," John xiv. 15, "If ye keep my com- 
mandments, ye shall abide in my love," John xv. 10. 
And can any thing be more contradictory, than keep- 
ing God's commandments, and a careless indifference 
about breaking them? Is there no gratitude in our 
love to God, no sense of our obligations to his infi- 
nite goodness and compassion; and no sense of our 
ungrateful abuse of his amazing dispensations of be- 
nignity and mercy, in our ransom from hell, by the 
blood of his Son, in our gospel privileges and advan- 
tages, in our participation of his special distinguish- 
ing grace, and in our hopes of glory? Is the love of 
the Father a light thing with us, in choosing us be- 
fore others from the foundation of the world, in giv- 
ing his own Son to redeem and save us; and in send- 
ing his Holy Spirit to fulfil his good pleasure in our 
souls, and fit us for heaven? Is the blood of the Sa- 
viour a light thing with us, whereby we are ran- 
somed from death and hell, and made heirs of the 
future glory ? Is the sanctifying, comforting and 
quickening influence of the blessed Spirit a light 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 305 

thing with us, whereby we are brought near to God, 
enabled to obtain communion with him, and are 
qualified for the eternal inheritance? Can we dis- 
honour the Father, trample upon the blood of the 
Son, and grieve the Holy Spirit, without care, con- 
cern or fear; and yet make pretences to an union to 
Christ, and to the love of God? A vain dream! A 
most inconsistent and contradictory pretence? 

I hope, I have by this time given you sufficient 
evidence, of the weakness and impiety of those objec- 
tions, you have alleged in favour of the Antinomians: 
and would therefore only just add this further remark, 
That though we should never dishonour our blessed 
Saviour, by doubting of his sufficiency for us, be our 
case what it will; though we should never indulge 
distracting doubts and fears, which will drive us from 
God, unfit us for duty, and bring dishonour upon that 
infinite mercy in which we hope; and though we 
should not presently dig up our foundations, and call 
all our hopes and experiences into question, because 
of our disallowed infirmities: Yet if we are united to 
Christ, we cannot fail of mourning for our sins, and 
bringing them to the blood of Christ for pardon; we 
cannot fail to groan being burdened, and to esteem 
our sins the heaviest burden we have in the world: 
Though we. may and ought to rejoice always, in the 
riches of redeeming mercy and love, yet we cannot 
but lament and groan always after deliverance from 
the remaining body of death. 

You proceed to object, that " if my doctrine of the 
believers' union to Christ be true, you cannot see how 
we can prove our justification by our sanctification. 
For according to that scheme, our justification de- 
pends wholly upon our union to Christ: but nothing 
at all upon our sanctification. Is it not then the most 
rational proceeding, to prove our justification by that 
on which it depends, rather than by that on which 
it does not depend; by that which justifies us, 
rather than by that which does not justify us? How 
can we prove our justification by that which procures 



306 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

no freedom from guilt, no title to the favour of God, 
no claim to eternal salvation ?" 

In answer to which I must entreat you to consider, 
whether there be any way so certain to prove the 
existence of the cause, as by the production of the 
effect: and whether there be any way whatsoever to 
evidence that there is a cause, if there be no effect; 
or if the effect be utterly unknown. How do we know 
the existence of God; but by his word and works, 
which are visible effects of his being; and thereby 
visible evidences and discoveries of his glorious per- 
fections? To apply this to the present case. How 
can we evidence our union to Christ, and our ac- 
ceptance with God thereby, but by the actings of 
grace, and the fruits of righteousness, which are the 
effects of it? The subject matter to be made evident 
to our consciences, is this, that we have received the 
Lord Jesus Christ by faith, so are united to him: and 
thereby justified in the sight of God. Well, if this be 
so, "the life which we now live in the flesh, we live 
by the faith of the Son of God," Gal. ii. 20. " We 
are purifying ourselves, even as he is pure," 1 John 
iii. 3. If we " have received Christ Jesus the Lord, 
we also walk in him," Col. ii. 6. And do we, upon 
an impartial trial, find this so? Do we live in a hum- 
ble constant dependence upon the Lord Jesus Christ, 
as the fountain of all grace; and the author of our 
eternal salvation? Do we hate every false way; and 
crucify our flesh with its affections and lusts? Do we 
live in the love of God, and carefully and seriously 
attend every way of known duty towards him? Do 
we live in the love of our neighbour; and are we con- 
scientious in the performing the duties of every rela- 
tion and character we sustain? And do we lament 
before God the imperfections we find in these attain- 
ments; and earnestly pray and strive for a further 
progress in holiness? This, all this, is the necessary 
fruit of our union to Christ, and of our justification 
before God thereby: Is not this therefore the proper 
and only evidence thereof? And is there any thing 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 



307 



without this, which can give us any Scripture evi- 
dence of our justification? The Antinomians may 
pretend to evidence their justification by their joy and 
comfort: But how came they by their joy and com- 
fort, if they have not previous evidence of their justi- 
fied state ? How can they rejoice in the favour of 
God, before they have good evidence of their interest 
in it? Without this, their joy is groundless, and is an 
evidence of nothing in the present case, but their wil- 
lingness to deceive themselves. With this, there is 
no need of joy for that evidence, of what is already 
confirmed by a much better witness. I therefore con- 
clude, that as the Scripture no where makes, and as 
the reason and order of things no way allow, joy and 
comfort to be evidences of our justified state, we 
should see to it, that we clear up our title to the di- 
vine favour, by better evidence. And what other can 
we possibly find, but what I am now pleading for? 
This, the Apostle assures us, is the proper evidence, 
by which the children of God are manifest, and the 
children of the devil. "Whosoever is born of God, doth 
not commit sin," and "whosoever doth not righteous- 
ness, is not of God." 1 John iii. 9, 10. They there- 
fore, who reject this evidence, would do well to con- 
sider, whose children they be, according to this deter- 
mination of the Apostle. 

Upon the whole then, our union to Christ is so far 
from affording the least plea for licentiousness, that 
it should be considered as the strongest argument, 
and the most powerful incentive to a humble, penitent, 
watchful, holy and heavenly life. Are we united to 
Christ? Are we " members of his body, of his flesh, 
and of his bones?" Surely then we must derive vital 
influences from such a fountain of spiritual life; and 
be partakers of his holiness. If we find not this 
blessed effect in some good degree, in vain are our 
pretences to an interest in Christ, or union to him. 
Are we united to Christ, and thereby made partakers 
of his inestimable benefits? Surely then it concerns 
us to endeavour to live answerably to so high a dig- 
nity, and such an honourable relation. Surely it con- 



308 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



cerns us to testify our gratitude to such an infinite 
Benefactor, by living to the praise of the glory of his 
grace and love. With what abhorrence therefore 
should such licentious thoughts, as you have sug- 
gested, be entertained by all the true disciples of the 
holy Jesus, as not fit to be so much as once named 
among saints ! 

If you can have patience with me, I would briefly 
offer one argument more, in favour of the doctrine I 
have insisted upon; which must recommend it as in- 
finitely preferable in point of safety, to either of the 
contrary extremes. By acting up to these principles 
of mine, you can be in no danger, as to the future 
and final event, since you will be built upon Christ 
Jesus the sure foundation of hope, and by grace de- 
rived from him, bring forth those fruits of holiness 
and righteousness, which must end in eternal life. If 
the Arminians are right, you also are right. For 
you have the same sincerity, the same good works, 
which any of them may have to depend upon for 
justification and salvation. And it can be no preju- 
dice to your salvation, that you obtained these in a 
way of dependence upon Christ only, as well as in a 
way of diligent activity. If the Antinomians are 
right, you also are right. For you depend only upon 
Christ for righteousness and strength, as well as 
they; and it can no ways be injurious to you, that 
you have insisted upon the necessity of holiness, as 
the way leading to eternal life. But now, to turn 
the tables, if they who plead for justification by 
works, are at last found in a mistake; and instead of 
building upon Christ Jesus, and the sovereign grace 
of God in him, are built upon the sand: or if they 
who disclaim the necessity of holiness, are too late 
found in a mistake, and sorted among the workers of 
iniquity, what will become of their hopes! How 
dreadful will their disappointments be! 

That you may be found united to Christ, and may 
be built up in faith and holiness, with peace and 
comfort, unto God's heavenly kingdom, is the earn- 
est desire and prayer of, 

Sir, Yours, &c. 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 309 



LETTER XVIII. 

PARTICULAR ADVICE AND DIRECTION FOR A CLOSE AND COM- 
FORTABLE WALK WITH GOD. 

Sir — You justly observe, that "according to my for- 
mer letters, a religious life must be a course of seri- 
ous, earnest, and assiduous application." And you 
have therefore good reason to be " solicitous in your 
inquiry, how you must give diligence to make your 
calling and election sure; and how you shall find 
that peace and pleasure I speak of, in your walk 
with God?" But there is no cause at all of any ap- 
prehension, that you "shall weary me out, with the 
continual burthensome tasks you are imposing upon 
me." Indeed, Sir, you can no way gratify me more, 
than by putting it in my power, to be any way ser- 
viceable to your best interest. I sincerely thank you, 
that you are now giving me the satisfaction of pro- 
posing "some directions for a close walk with God." 
It is an affair of the utmost consequence to myself, 
as well as to you: an affair too little considered, even 
by those of whom we must hope the better things 
that accompany salvation: and in an affair, in which 
I have cause with shame to confess, that my remiss- 
ness has turned to my unspeakable disadvantage. 
Let us then, as in the presence of God, resolve by 
the assistance of his Spirit and grace, not only to con- 
sult, but to practise such methods of piety as may be 
likely means to sweeten the fatigues of life, prepare 
us to encounter the last enemy, and give us a refresh- 
ing prospect of our future inheritance. 

I shall endeavour (according to your desire) to be 
plain, familiar and practical, in the directions and 
counsels which I am now to lay before you. 

And here my advice to you is, 

1. That you endeavour to obtain and maintain a 
deep impression of this important truth, that you have 



310 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

but one business to do; and that every affair and con- 
duct of human life must be calculated for, and sub- 
servient to, that one great end of your being. God 
has made us for himself, to glorify and enjoy him. 
We are but "pilgrims and strangers upon earth;" 
and " have here no continuing city." There is an- 
other state before us, a state of everlasting residence, 
a state where we must be unspeakably and incon- 
ceivably happy or miserable, to all eternity. Our 
whole work therefore is, to be "pressing towards the 
mark for the prize of our high calling;" to be looking 
to, and preparing for, "another and better country, 
even an heavenly." This, I say, is our v/hole busi- 
ness, and therefore not to be enterprised as a second- 
ary concern; not to be crowded into a corner, to make 
room for more agreeable entertainments; nor to be 
attended only at our vacant hours, when disencum- 
bered from our worldly business and sensual gratifi- 
cations. " To fear God and keep his commandments, 
is the whole of man." You will not so far misun- 
derstand me, as to suppose that I am inculcating the 
necessity of a recluse life, wholly taken up in devo- 
tion, wholly separated from the common business and 
society of the world. No! I am only recommending 
to you and to myself, a due sense that we are under 
obligations in point of duty and interest, to serve God, 
and thereby to promote our eternal welfare, as well 
at one time as another, and as much in one business 
of life as another; as much in our secular affairs, do- 
mestic concerns, company, and diversions, as in the 
special duties of religion and devotion. Though these 
call for the more solemn engagement of the whole 
soul in their performance, being immediately directed 
to God himself, yet the other also are to be done in 
obedience to God, and with an eye to his glory. So 
that we have but one business, though we have a 
great many duties of various kinds belonging to it. 

Resolve then, to engage in, and to endeavour to 
manage every affair of common life, out of duty to 
God, with a spiritual frame of soul, and with a hearty 
desire therein to "show yourself approved unto God. 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 311 

Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do 
all to the glory of God." Consider therefore, that 
you have the same God to deal with, the same omni- 
scient eye to observe and remember your thoughts, 
views, affections, frames, language, and behaviour, 
while conversant in the common affairs of life, as 
when upon your knees in your closet or family, or 
in the public worship of God's house, and that the 
same upright views, the same holy desires, the same 
faith in Christ, are necessary in the one, as in the 
other, if you would have them acceptable to God. 
This consideration duly impressed, is the true philo- 
sopher's stone, that turns all to gold. This will make 
every thing serve as a fresh gale, to waft us forward 
to our desired harbour. 

2. Be solemnly careful to attend upon all the ordi- 
nances of God, without any reserve. The duties and 
ordinances of religion belong to the way which God 
has appointed us to walk in, in order to our salva- 
tion: and we must be found in his way, as we would 
expect his presence and blessing. Herein be, there- 
fore, careful to have no reserve. Let every duty, 
whether of the closet, the family, or public worship, 
be diligently and constantly maintained, each in its 
proper season. Live in the omission of none of them; 
nor let any ordinary occurrence or excuse divert and 
put you by, when the proper season and opportunity 
calls for your attendance on them. You are under 
the same obligations at all times, as at any time, to 
perform duty, and to observe all duties as to observe 
any; for they are all required by the same authority, 
and to be performed to the same object, and for the 
same end. He, therefore, who lives in the wilful ne- 
glect of any known duty, does thereby turn his back 
upon God and his salvation. Herein then, the great- 
est care should be exercised, that we may "prove, 
(or know and do,) what is the good, and perfect, and 
acceptable will of God," concerning us. 

You should also remember, that the duties of reli- 
gious worship are to be performed to an omniscient 
and heart-searching God; a God who cannot be de- 



312 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

ceived, and will not be mocked; a God, who "will 
be sanctified in all them that come nigh him," and 
who will highly resent our "flattering him with our 
lips, and lying to him with our tongues, when our 
hearts are far from him." You should therefore be 
careful, by previous meditation, to obtain a lively 
sense of the infinite perfections of the glorious God 
to be worshipped, of the nature and importance of 
the duty to be attended; and to have your affections 
inflamed and much engaged, when you come into 
God's immediate presence, in any ordinance of reli- 
gious worship. You should "keep your heart with 
all diligence;" watch against, and carefully suppress 
every roving and wandering thought, endeavour to 
retain a lively impression of the divine presence; and 
to keep up a devout spiritual frame of soul, while in 
the performance of the worship of God. Our trans- 
actions with God, in the duties of religious worship, 
above all things call for the greatest seriousness, 
watchfulness, and care. And all the pains we can 
take in this matter, will prove too little; we shall 
still have cause to lament our great defects; and to 
mourn after the pardon of the iniquity of our holy 
things, through the blood of Christ. 

3. Remember, that as you rely on mercy, so you 
have a mercy-seat to repair to; and that you may 
sow in hope. It is true, that we neither have nor 
can have any claim to the mercy of God, on account 
of any thing that we do or are able to do in religion. 
" Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, 
be it known unto you. Be ashamed and confounded 
for your own ways, house of Israel." But yet it 
is also true, that the infinite mercy of God is more 
than equal to all our unworthiness, to all our difficul- 
ties, and to all our wants. " There is forgiveness with 
God, that he may be feared; and with him is plente- 
ous redemption." And " God is in Christ reconciling 
the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses." 
You should approach the presence of God, not only 
with a most abasing sense of your sinfulness, pollu- 
tion, and unworthiness; and with most earnest im- 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



313 



portunity for the influences of his Spirit and grace: 
but also with a humble confidence in the riches of his 
infinite mercy; and with a supporting hope, that for 
his own sake, and for his Son's sake, (though not for 
yours) he will accept, pardon, sanctify, and save you. 
While you are entertaining hard thoughts of God, 
giving into desponding frames, and nourishing your 
distracting, discouraging fears, you are dishonouring 
God our Saviour, grieving the Holy Spirit, hardening 
your own heart, and going further and further from 
mercy. Come therefore before God, self-loathing and 
self-condemning, yet not with a distrustful dread: but 
come to him with expectation and dependence. Plead 
the merits of his Son ; plead the riches of his boundless 
grace; yea, plead your own misery and want before 
him: hope in his mercy, and wait for his salvation. 

4. Review your past life; and be as particular as 
you can, in your repentance toward God, as also in 
setting all things right with your neighbour. It is our 
duty particularly to confess and lament our sins before 
God; those especially which are peculiarly aggrava- 
ted, or have been willingly and customarily indulged. 
It is our duty particularly to make up all breaches 
with our neighbour, and to repair all injuries we 
have done him, as far as possible. It is therefore 
necessary, to call ourselves to account for all the past 
conduct of our lives, both toward God and man. 

Look back then to your early age, and bring the 
sins of your youth to remembrance. Confess them 
particularly, lament them before God, and lift up your 
ardent and frequent petitions to him, that he would 
not remember the sins of your youth, nor your trans- 
gressions. Continue your review to the successive pe- 
riods of your life. Consider what duties you have 
omitted, whether personal or relative; what parts of 
instituted worship you have neglected, or by a care- 
less, hypocritical, and trifling performance, have slight- 
ed and profaned, whether in your closet, in the family, 
or in the house of God. Consider what relations you 
have sustained, and what have been your special de- 
fects in each of them. Humble yourself in the sight 

21 



314 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

of God, on account of them all ; cry to him for par- 
don, in the blood of Christ ; and for grace and strength 
to serve him acceptably, by a right discharge of your 
respective duties, in each station and circumstance of 
life, as well as by a due performance of the several 
offices of devotion. Consider your many sins of com- 
mission, according to their respective natures and ag- 
gravations. Confess them before God ; and confess 
the innumerable multitude which were unobserved 
when committed, or forgotten since. Endeavour to 
impress a just sense of their number, enormity and 
guilt, upon your conscience, till you are forced to 
groan out that language of a repenting soul : " Innume- 
rable evils have compassed me about, mine iniquities 
have taken hold upon me, they are more than the hairs 
of my head, therefore my heart faileth me." Endea- 
vour to bring them all (those which you can remem- 
ber, by a particular enumeration; those which you 
cannot remember, by a general confession) to the 
fountain set open for sin and for uncleanness. Pray 
for faith, and endeavour to trust in the infinite merits of 
the Redeemer's blood, and the infinite mercy of the 
God of all grace, for a free pardon of all your sins, 
how extensive soever in their number, how great 
soever in their aggravations. Thus endeavour to 
have your past account balanced by the blood of 
Christ. 

In like manner, be careful to review the defects of 
the duties, and the violations of the precepts, of the 
second table of the moral law. Consider whether 
there be none who have offered you injuries and indig- 
nities; and see to it, that from your heart you forgive 
them their trespasses, and that you remember each of 
them at the throne of grace, seeking mercy for them, 
as for your own soul. Consider what differences and 
controversies you have maintained with any man, 
and in the most kind and condescending manner, at- 
tempt all reasonable methods of reconciliation, com- 
mitting the case to God by prayer. Consider, whe- 
ther in the course of your life you have not some way 
or other been injurious to your neighbour by word or 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



315 



deed, in your commerce or conversation, and never 
rest till you have made reparation and satisfaction, if 
any thing of that kind can be remembered. Consider 
whether there be no enmity or rancour of spirit, no 
prejudice or ill-will, harboured in your breast against 
any man; and never rest till you feel an universal be- 
nevolence to every individual of the human race, and 
have that love in exercise, which is the fulfilling of 
the law. Consider whether you have learned of Christ 
to be meek and lowly of heart, to live in peace and 
kindness, and be excited by the gentleness of Christ, 
to maintain the exercise of those fruits of the Spirit, 
love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, 
meekness, temperance. Consider whether you have 
practised sufficient liberality towards the poor and in- 
digent, and consult how you may now so cast your 
bread upon the water, as to find it again after many 
days. And in a word, seek pardon through the blood 
of Christ for all your past defects; and consult how 
you may, for the future, render yourself the most ex- 
tensive blessing to the world, while you live in it. 

5. Be very careful, faithfully to discharge the re- 
spective duties of the several relations you sustain. 
God having placed you, Sir, in a station of public trust, 
he calls upon you in the language of Jehoshaphat to 
his judges: ."Take heed what ye do, for you judge 
not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the 
judgment; therefore now let the fear of the Lord be 
upon you, take heed and do it." It would be arro- 
gance in me, to pretend to direct you in the particu- 
lar duties of your honourable station, and the parti- 
cular methods of discharging them. It is your con- 
cern, in the execution of your trust, to approve your- 
self a minister of God to his people for their good; a 
terror, not to good works, but to the evil; the patron 
and defender of the oppressed and injured, and an 
impartial restrainer and punisher of the vicious and 
immoral; a shining pattern of a regular life; and one 
that seeks the welfare of your people. 

Allow me further to observe, 

As you are likewise remarkably blessed in your 



316 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

conjugal relation, that a full compliance with the 
laws of Christianity will greatly add to your mutual 
happiness. I do not mean by this, to recommend to 
you that love, tender affection, and most obliging 
kindness, which the word of God enjoins upon all in 
that relation, and which is so absolutely necessary to 
all such, in order to their present comfort or future 
happiness, since in these things you have practically 
declared to the world, that you stand in no need of a 
monitor. But what I would particularly offer to 
your consideration, is, that the soul is the principal 
part of human nature, and consequently the principal 
object of love and regard, in that near and intimate 
relation. It should, therefore, be the chief care of 
those who are thus nearly united, to live together as 
"fellow heirs of the grace of life;" to assist, counsel, 
quicken, and comfort one another in the ways of God 
and godliness; and to consult all proper methods to 
promote each other's spiritual and eternal welfare. 
Thus the bands of union and motives of dearest affec- 
tion will be more than doubled. This will render 
such persons blessings to each other indeed, and lay 
a foundation for joy to all eternity. 

You are peculiarly favoured with regard to a plea- 
sant and delightful offspring. And upon the birth of 
each of your children, the Lord does, (as it were,) say 
unto you, as Pharaoh's daughter to Moses' mother, 
" Take this child, and nurse it for me." You should 
accordingly take early care, to endeavour the form- 
ing their minds to the knowledge, fear, and service of 
God. You should not only, teach them their Cate- 
chism, whereby a summary of Christian doctrines 
may be laid up in their memories, but study in a 
plain, easy, and familiar manner, to adapt your in- 
structions to their understandings, and endeavour to 
acquaint them with the great things of their eternal 
peace. You should endeavour not only to give them 
a doctrinal, but a practical acquaintance with the du- 
ties of Christianity; and as soon as possible put them 
upon the slated exercise of religious duty. You 
should, in the most kind, affectionate manner possible, 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 317 

endeavour to restrain their vicious inclinations and 
practices, and instil into them principles of reverence 
to the aged, of honour and gratitude to their parents, 
of kindness and love to one another, and of piety and 
mercy to the indigent and distressed. You should, 
with constant and importunate ardour of soul, wres- 
tle with God for their spiritual welfare: and even 
" travail in birth, to see Christ formed in their souls." 
This is the way to make them indeed blessings in 
their generation, to make them happy while they 
live, happy when they die, and happy for ever. By 
this means, therefore, show that you love them in- 
deed. 

To this I must add, that you are under a like obli- 
gation to take care of the souls of your servants, as of 
your children; and in like manner to instruct them, 
and to impress upon their minds the vast concerns of 
eternity. For you should always remember, that the 
soul of your meanest servant is of more value than this 
whole world. 

I shall only subjoin under this head, that you sus- 
tain the character of a neighbour, unto which are 
many duties annexed. The poor you have always 
with you, to whom you owe charitable and compas- 
sionate relief. You have frequent occasions of con- 
versation, which should be good to the use of edify- 
ing, that you may administer grace to the hearers. 
You have special interest in and influence upon many; 
this you should improve with care, for their spiritual 
advantage. You will find frequent occasion to exhort 
and reprove others, which should be done with such 
unaffected seriousness and kindness, condescension 
and humility, as will both touch the conscience, and 
engage the affections; and thereby have a prospect of 
success. In fine, you should watch for opportunities 
to do what service you can, both to the bodies and 
souls of your neighbours; and thereby fulfil the royal 
law of love. 

6. Walk by rule, in an exact observance of stated 
devotions. We are exhorted to walk circumspectly, 
redeeming the time; to be always abounding in the 



318 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

work of the Lord; doing the duty of every day, in its 
day; of every season, in its season. And to time things 
to the best advantage, to methodize things well, and 
be steady to some certain rules of proceedings, will 
very much befriend a life of religion. We are coun- 
selled to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long; 
to pray without ceasing, and to meditate on God's law 
day and night. Nothing can be of greater importance 
to our present or future happiness than a careful com- 
pliance with these divine precepts. 

You should therefore begin the day with God. 
When you wake in the morning, let God have your 
first thoughts. Lift up your heart to him, with thank- 
fulness for the preservation of the night; and in sup- 
plication to him for his presence with you, in the du- 
ties of the succeeding day. After such ejaculations, 
before you rise from bed, you will do well to con- 
sider with yourself, what are the duties before you 
this day, whereby God may be most glorified, your 
spiritual interests best subserved, and you most use- 
ful in your generation. Whilst arising from bed and 
dressing yourself, entertain meditations upon subjects 
suited to the occasion, such as the necessity of your 
resurrection from spiritual death, or the certainty and 
consequences of the final resurrection at the great day 
of Christ's appearing and kingdom; the necessity of 
your being clothed with the righteousness of Christ; 
or the glorious livery, in which you hope to appear 
before the tribunal of your judge, when you shall shine 
as the firmament, and as the stars for ever and ever. 
These, or such like meditations, a variety whereof will 
readily offer to your mind, may be an excellent means 
to put your soul into a proper frame for the duties 
before you. 

When risen from bed, retire as soon as you conve- 
niently can into your closet. Read some portion of 
the word of God; mixing it with faith, giving a close 
attention, making devout reflections, and occasional 
ejaculations of prayer and praise, according to the 
subject-matter you are entertained with. After read- 
ing, pause awhile, and endeavour to affect your 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 319 

mind with lively impressions of the infinite perfec- 
tions of the glorious Majesty before whom you are 
approaching. Lift up your eyes to God, with fervent 
aspirations after the influences of his blessed Spirit, to 
"help your infirmities," to "teach you to pray," as 
you ought; and to "make intercessions for you, with 
groanings which cannot be uttered." Thus in the 
name of Christ bow your knees before God, with an 
awful sense of the infinite distance between him and 
you, and of your entire unworthiness of his favour ; 
yet with a humble hope and confidence in his infinite 
grace and mercy in Christ; and keep up a strict and 
continual guard over your thoughts and affections, 
that they do not wander from the business before 
you, and render the duty a mere superficial lip-ser- 
vice. 

From your closet proceed to the duties of family- 
worship. Call your whole household together; let 
none be absent. Read a chapter in the sacred Bible; 
and I would advise you commonly to read in course, 
that the whole word of God may be read in your 
family. Perhaps it may be an agreeable practice, 
and most for edification, to read in the Old Testament 
one part of the day, and in the New Testament the 
other. I would advise you to sing part of a psalm; 
and then pray with your family. Which done, gravely 
dismiss them to their respective secular occasions. 

Having thus carried yourself and family through 
the morning sacrifices, do not suppose, that you are 
now discharged from all religious and spiritual con- 
cerns, until the return of the stated times of divine 
worship; but keep your soul diligently, study to pre- 
serve and cherish still a spiritual frame. Intermix fre- 
quent occasional meditations and ejaculations, with 
all the business you are engaged in. After dinner, I 
would advise you to retire again into your closet for 
some exercises of devotion. Imitate David and Daniel 
in the frequency of your secret retirements; and make 
it your stated rule, at evening, in the morning, and at 
noon to pray, and to let God hear your voice. 

Choose some convenient time every day for reli- 



320 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

gious meditation, and solemn reflection. Daily spend 
half an hour, at least, in this useful and delightful 
employment; and more, when your circumstances 
will allow it. Let the time be stated; and let no or- 
dinary avocation prevent your duly attending upon 
this exercise, at the return of the appointed season. 
Perhaps experience will teach you, with the Patriarch 
Isaac, to choose the evening for this service. But this 
depends upon the respective business and circum- 
stances of life, and dispositions of mind, of each par- 
ticular person. The whole word of God will afford 
you matter for your meditation; that you have a 
large field before you, enough to keep you happily 
employed to all eternity: but the perfections of the 
Divine nature, the astonishing work of redemption by 
Jesus Christ, the glorious excellency of his person, 
and the wonderful benefits of his salvation, the in- 
comparable glories of the heavenly world, the pre- 
ciousness of your soul, with its various wants, and the 
like, should be the most common, as they are the most 
important subjects of your contemplation. Engage 
in this business, as in the presence of God, call in 
your thoughts from every foreign concern, and keep 
them closely engaged. Deeply muse, until the fire 
burns: meditate on divine and eternal things, till 
they become real and visible to the eyes of your 
mind; even till your soul is brought, (if it pleases 
God) to the top of Pisgah, and to a view of the 
heavanly Canaan. But I need not insist upon the 
methods of performing this duty. By a faithful and 
steady attendance upon it, your experience will 
quickly teach you the best manner of its perform- 
ance. 

And now being brought to the close of the day, end 
it as you began it, with respect to the duties both of 
your closet and family. And when you betake yourself 
to your rest, review the conduct of the day past; and 
consider what matter of repentance, or of thanksgiv- 
ing, is thereby before you. Solemnly interrogate your- 
self, whether you are fit to die, and what your state 
is like to prove, if you should this night awake in the 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 321 

eternal world. Your answer to this momentous ques- 
tion must either excite your diligence to flee from the 
wrath to come; or animate your love and gratitude 
to God, and your zeal for his service, in hope of the 
glory to be revealed. To conclude, endeavour to im- 
prove your waking minutes on your bed (whether be- 
fore you first fall asleep, or when you shall awake in 
the night) in religious and divine meditation. So, 
when you wake and rise in the morning, still be with 
God. 

Thus I have set before you a method of filling up 
your time with duty; with such duties, as will every 
one of them tend to promote your progress to eternal 
bliss. And I need now only further put you in mind, 
that besides these daily exercises of religion, there are 
seasons wherein the whole day should be taken up in 
the immediate service of God; excepting when we 
are called off by works of necessity and mercy. Such 
as the Lord's day, which ought to be so strictly sanc- 
tified, that we should not so much as allow ourselves 
to think our own thoughts, or to speak our own 
words. Such are likewise occasional days of humilia- 
tion and thanksgiving, which the Scripture calls our 
Sabbaths. The frequent and devout celebration of 
these days may prove of eminent usefulness to pro- 
mote the life and power of godliness. The Scriptures 
do not indeed direct how often these should be at- 
tended. They are a free-will offering: and the state 
of your soul, with the dispensations of Providence 
towards yourself, your family, or the church of God; 
and the respective business, whether temporal or 
spiritual, which you have before you, will be a suf- 
ficient direction, as to the time and manner of perform- 
ing these duties. 

I would suggest here one thing more: you would 
do wisely to keep an exact account in writing, of 
your daily expenditure of time. Before you go to bed, 
recollect and record (at least in some brief hints) the 
business you have done, the duties performed, the 
mercies received, the frames of your soul, the dispen- 
sations of Providence, with the sins and imperfections 



322 FAMILIAR LETTERS. 

of the day past. Let this be done so, that you your- 
self, upon a review, can understand it; though there 
may be some occurrences requiring a veil of obscurity 
to be thrown over them, that they may not be under- 
stood by others, if ever your papers should fall into 
their hands. By this means, you may always have 
before you, what special reformation is wanting, what 
special obligations you are under to God; and what 
proficiency you make in the school of Christ. 

7. Walk by faith in the Son of God. Whatever you 
do, let faith in Christ be kept in daily exercise, and 
run through all your duties from first to last. I have 
adapted my former directions to that state of suspense, 
which you are in, with respect to your conversion to 
God. " You have sometimes (you tell me) refreshing 
and encouraging hope, that you have some expe- 
rience of those marks of converting grace, which I 
have described." Be it then supposed (as I trust 
there is ground to suppose) that the hope you have 
at times is well founded; in this case, your compliance 
with these directions is the best means of a successful 
and delightful progress towards your heavenly inheri- 
tance. But you complain that "you often conflict 
with distressing doubts and fears, that the prevalence 
of your corruptions, the formality and hypocrisy of 
your duties, and the dead carnal frames which you 
feel in yourself too frequently, are utterly inconsistent 
with well-grounded hopes of a renewed and sancti- 
fied soul." Were your case indeed acccording to 
your fears, what better method could be proposed, 
than to attend the directions here given, in order to 
seek after the renewing influences of the Spirit of 
God? 

But I must observe to you, there is one thing that 
is eminently of importance, and which seems yet 
wanting in order to your maintaining a heavenly con- 
versation, and a comfortable walk with God. To 
walk with God, is to walk in Christ, and to have the 
life which we live in the flesh, by the faith of the 
Son of God. It is by faith, in Christ, that we have 
access to the throne of grace. " By whom also we 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



323 



have access by faith, into this grace wherein we 
stand," Rom. v. 2. It is by faith in Christ, that onr 
persons and services find acceptance with God. " Who 
hath made ns accepted in the beloved," Eph. i. G. 
It is by faith in Christ, that our corruptions are morti- 
fied, and our hearts cleansed. " Purifying their hearts 
by faith," Acts xv. 9. It is by faith in Christ, that we 
are enabled to tread the world and its idol-vanities 
under our feet. " And this is the victory that over- 
cometh the world, even our faith," 1 John v. 4. It 
is by faith, that we enjoy the consolations and plea- 
sures of a religious life. " We have joy and peace in 
believing," Rom. xv. 13. It is by faith in Christ, and 
by our " holding fast our confidence firm unto the 
end," that we are rendered stable and steadfast in 
our religious course, and enabled to persevere to the 
end. "Thou standest by faith: Be not high minded, 
but fear," Rom. xi. 20. It is by faith, that we ob- 
tain the sealings of the blessed Spirit, and the earnest 
of our future inheritance. " In whom also, after that 
ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirt of 
promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance," 
Eph. i. 13, 14. And in a word, it is by faith, that 
we keep the mark for the prize of our high calling 
in view, and are actuated to the diligent pursuit of 
the recompense of reward. "Faith is the substance 
of things hoped for; and the evidence of things not 
seen," Heb. xi. 1. Thus you see, that if you would 
walk with God, you must walk by faith in the Son 
of God. Here therefore it seems needful to give you 
some plain and familiar directions. 

And I would first direct you to look to Jesus as 
the author and finisher of your faith. " You are, 
(you say,) uncertain whether you have a true faith 
or not?" Look then to this fountain of all grace, to 
get your doubts removed, to be freed from this un- 
comfortable suspense of mind, and to be sensibly, as 
well as really, united to that glorious head of all spi- 
ritual influences. Be frequently lifting up your soul 
to him with such aspirations as these: "Blessed Je- 



324 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



sus! thou knowest the distracting doubts and fears I 
am exercised with, and my perplexing uncertainty of 
an interest in and union unto thee by faith. A diffi- 
culty which thou only canst remove, by the opera- 
tions of thy Holy Spirit. Thou hast invited me to 
come unto thee, to buy wine and milk without money 
and without price; and to take of the waters of life 
freely. Lord, I desire, I resolve to comply with 
the gracious invitation. Lord, I would believe: help 
thou mine unbelief. Thou hast promised, that if I 
come unto thee, thou wilt in no wise cast me out. 
Lord, I would come at thy call. Draw me, and I 
shall run after thee. Thou didst come to seek and to 
save that which was lost; and to call sinners to re- 
pentance. As a lost perishing sinner, I would there- 
fore look unto thee for pardon, sanctification, and 
eternal salvation. Thou only hast the words of eter- 
nal life. To thee, therefore, I repair, as to the foun- 
tain of life, and the foundation of all my hope, that 
of thy fulness I may receive, even grace for grace. 
Here is my last refuge. Look, blessed Lord, upon a 
poor, guilty, polluted soul! Replenish me with thy 
grace. Give me that faith, whereby I may comply 
with thy gracious invitations, rely upon thy precious 
promises, and derive all supplies of grace from the 
inexhaustible treasury of thy grace and goodness." 

You must endeavour, likewise, to act faith in Christ 
for your justification, and for your acceptance with 
God in the duties of religion; to rely upon him as 
the Lord your righteousness; and to make mention of 
his righteousness, even of that only. I have spoken 
particularly to this in some of my former letters, to 
which I shall only add, you must approach the pre- 
sence of God under a deep impression of your guilt, 
pollution, and unworthiness, and yet with a humble 
dependence upon the infinite merit and righteousness 
of Christ for access unto God the Father, and accep- 
tance in the beloved. You must live in a humble 
confidence in Christ, as the propitiation for your sins; 
as your continual advocate with the Father; and as 



FAMILIAR LETTERS. 325 

a constant source of righteousness and strength to 
your soul. And all your expectations of pardoning, 
sanctifying, and saving mercy must be derived only 
from Jesus Christ, who is our hope, the hope of Israel, 
and the Saviour thereof. 

You must also act faith in Christ for quickening, 
and strengthening, as well as justifying grace. Do 
your corruptions prevail ? Bring them to the cross of 
Christ. Look to and humbly depend upon the law 
of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, to make you free 
from the law of sin and death. Do dead, carnal, or 
formal frames prevail upon you? Strive to quicken 
your soul by enlivening meditations on the amazing 
transactions of redeeming love; and firmly rely upon 
Christ, for the quickening influences of his Spirit. 
You will always find your soul enlivened, your graces 
invigorated, and your affections spiritualized, in pro- 
portion to your humble, steady, cheerful dependence 
upon Christ for all those supplies of grace you stand 
in need of. Thus then, wait upon the Lord Jesus 
Christ : and be of good courage ; and he shall strength- 
en thine heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord. So shall 
you mount up with wings as the eagle, you shall run 
and not be weary, you shall walk and not faint. 

I will now subjoin, that you must live by faith un- 
der all your various circumstances of life, and under 
all the different dispensations of God's holy provi- 
dence. Are you in the dark and under inward trials? 
Remember that we walk by faith, not by sight. Be 
humbled, but not discouraged, by your deadness, 
darkness, temptations or corruptions: for however 
your spiritual frames, affections, or dispositions of soul 
may change, yet Christ Jesus is the same, yesterday, 
to-day, and for ever: and may be safely trusted for 
deliverance, how distressing soever your condition. 
Hence, when you walk in darkness, and see no light, 
yet trust in the name of the J^ord, and (by faith in 
Christ) stay yourself upon your God. Are you under 
outward afflictions, and adverse dispensations of pro- 
vidence? Act faith in the promises; all of which are 



326 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



in Christ Yea, and in him Amen, to the glory of God: 
and humbly hope, that, according to God's gracious 
promise, all things shall work together for your good; 
and that your light affliction which is but for a mo- 
ment, will work for you a far more exceeding and 
eternal weight of glory. But you are in doubt about 
your interest in the promises: well, let your hearty ac- 
ceptance of Christ, and your humble dependence upon 
the promises of him, remove your doubts. Act always 
under the influence of this maxim, that "you cannot 
trust too little to yourself, nor too much to Christ." 
To conclude, If you want spiritual life, Christ Jesus 
is our life: you must look to and depend upon him 
for it. If you want light, he also is the light of men; 
and his Spirit must be a word behind you, saying, 
"This is the way, walk you in it." If you want comfort, 
your consolation must be in Christ; and you must re- 
joice in Christ Jesus, without confidence in the flesh. 
Would you live near to God? Draw near with a full 
assurance of faith. Would you have a victory over 
the sting and terror of death? You must be delivered 
from this bondage, and obtain the victory, through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Would you live in the pros- 
pect of a blessed immortality? Christ in you is the 
hope of glory. Thus to live is Christ, and then to die 
is gain: gain unspeakable! To depart and to be with 
Christ, which is far better than to abide in the flesh, 
under the happiest circumstances of life, even amidst 
all the honours, pleasures, and riches of this vain pe- 
rishing world. 

Thus I have given you some brief general hints 
concerning that walk with God, which he who would 
be a Christian indeed, and would possess the peace of 
God in his soul, should endeavour to maintain. Your 
own experience in the divine life will teach you how 
to improve upon these directions, and to make a con- 
tinual progress, from grace to grace, and from strength 
to strength, till you come to the perfection of grace in 
glory. 

Now, that the God of all grace may grant you the 



FAMILIAR LETTERS 



327 



supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, in his sanctifying, 
quickening, and comforting influences; and that he 
would guide you by his counsel, and keep you by his 
power through faith unto salvation, is the prayer of, 

Sir, 

Your sincere friend, 

And servant. 



THE END. 






Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: April 2005 

PreservationTechnologies 

A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 

1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive 
Cranberry Township, PA 16066 
(724)779-2111 



